It Becomes Thee
by Mysterie1985
Summary: Sequel to The Mortal Guardian [abridged version]
1. Beyond Nightmares

As soon as the connection was made, Jack was thrown into a place that would be almost too dark to see in, a cell made of bricks of course and in the near dim light there would be only one other person in the cell. Mysterie didn't even bother opening her eyes, huddled in the corner furthest from the door; heavy iron shackles around her wrists and ankles, the clothes she'd been wearing mostly shredded and barley staying on her. Streaks of blood on her back indicating the wounds that were healing and the blood mingled with sweat. A stench that was sickly sweet hung in the air. A single tear falling from one eye every once in a while, leaving a new streak along her face; her breathing was shaky at best. Jack gasped, the smell of blood, waste, sweat and something he didn't even want to think about assaulted him. His eyes adjusted to the darkness after a moment and he looked around, his ethereal globe lighting up the cell. He gasped again when he saw her in the corner, bloody and beaten up. He felt fear, and then that fear turned to unbridled rage, but he kept himself in check; realizing that things could go wrong in the memory.

"Mysterie." He said softly, so not to startle her as he walked up slowly to her, keeping a space between them so that she wouldn't feel trapped even though all he wanted to do was hold her close and make all the pain go away. Mysterie jumped, startled at the sound of a voice despite Jack's attempts to not scare her. She opened her eyes slowly as he moved forward, they were unfocused at first and dull with pain and fear. After a moment though of staring at him, she whispered in near disbelief.

"Jack?"

"Yeah. It's me Mysterie. I promised I wouldn't leave you, no matter what. I love you and nothing can ever keep us apart." He knelt next to her, looking at the bloodied shackles and he carefully froze them, breaking them off of her.

"Mysterie, we're gonna get out of here." Jakul chuckled.

"What a joke Frost, she's in too deep. Like Shadow would ever allow her to escape." Jack growled at him, one of his eyes turning a stormy blue.

"I thought I told you to shut it." He hissed, scaring Jakul with the venom of it. Mysterie's eyes widened at the racket Jack was making and made sushing sounds; eyes frantically darting to the door. She seemed to hold her breath for what seemed like forever as if waiting for something to happen... When nothing did she seemed to relax a little, but it was agonizing for her to stand up and when she did it was very slow; each movement was slow and painful. She winced at the bruises that seemed to dot her legs, fresh blood trickling down one pant leg... or what remained of it from the tear of claws. She bit her lip to stifle a whimper of pain, but it still reflected in her eyes nonetheless. Her voice was quiet.

"We have to be quiet or else..." She trailed off, her eyes darkening further with fearful knowledge. Jack winced as he walked towards her, whispering quietly.

"What's wrong? Who's coming?" He helped her stand and she had to use him as a crutch, he felt fear coil in his gut as he waited for her answer. Her answer was soft.

"Not a who... what... and they're... r-responsible for this... Neither of us is safe..." She trailed off, her eyes darkened a little as she tried to remember the way out of this place, knowing she'd done it before.

"Damnit... I... I can't remember how I got out the first time... I know I had help but..." She sighed, the sound as quiet as her voice had been. Jack thinks, wishing that Sandy could help suddenly he noticed a miniature Sandman in there with them.

"Sandy?" _Okay, this might not be the right time and place... but that's kind of adorable..._

"Sandy!" Mysterie hissed quietly, not having expected the dreamweaver to come in any form.

"This is dangerous enough sending Jack in! You know you can't stand up to those things... not here." Sandy crossed his arms, his "voice" is toneless as he replies.

**Jack isn't going to leave without you and I certainly am NOT going to leave Jack linked with Shadow any longer than I have to. I can find a way out for you.** She sighed quietly in resignation, knowing that the other Guardian was right.

"Fine... but be careful." Sandy nods and flies out of the barred "window" in the wooden door. Mysterie spoke again quietly once he was gone.

"I hope I'm remembering this right... if not... we're in serious trouble..." Jakul chuckled and Jack winced from the sharp sound of the demonic chuckle. Jack grabbed her, minding her wounds and icing some of the bruises within in his reach and after a moment he ripped part of his hoodie off to wrap it around one arm that had a nasty looking gash in it before doing the same for one of her legs before floating after Sandy, easily passing through the door without thinking about it.

"Jack!" She hissed quietly, unable to follow since the door was solid for her; she leaned against the door, wanting to follow as she lightly rubbed at the small of her back, ignoring the caked blood and trying to ease the sore muscle there before brushing some of the dry blood that clung like a second skin to her inner thighs and around it and what was left of her pant legs.

"Sorry, sorry!" He mentally beat himself for not realizing that she was in so much pain and unable to just follow him through the door. He passed through the door again and jumped when he heard a door slam.

"Shit!" He muttered and picked her up before she could protest, hovering near the ceiling, that topped a few feet above the door itself oddly enough. She blanched to a color that was very nearly like Jack's skin at the sound of a door slamming... There was a sound of scurrying feet, but the door of the cell stayed shut.

"Shit... shit... shit... I hope Sandy's okay." She whispered, staring at the door in abject horror, trying not to think of what would happen if the little Guardian was caught. Jack's heart beat so fast he was surprised it didn't just jump out of his chest. He stayed as silent as night though, seeing some fresh blood about to drip down to the floor, his eyes widen a little. Mysterie's gaze shifted, watching the drop hit the floor, but even as she held her breath... nothing happened. Everything was silent and the the door quietly swung open and there's a feeling of pure relief when Sandy appears in the doorway, beckoning to the two of them.

"Damn it Sandy! You trying to give us heart attacks?! Or at least me a heart attack." He whisper yelled at the miniature Sandman as he set Sandy down while he made Mysterie some crutches from ice that were soft on the ends so that they wouldn't make much, if any, sound. Sandy made an apologetic expression the moment Jack turned to him.

**Sorry... I had to distract them some how so we could leave. **

"That explains all the commotion." Mysterie whispered.

"Let's get out of here before they get wise..." She shivered a little from the ice crutches, but she managed to use them with some ease to get around as they numbed some of the pain after a moment; even so some of her cuts still stung and she had no doubts that she looked a right mess. That was the least of their issues, however. Jack felt pain in one side and had to stop for more than a second only to hear Shadow's taunting voice in his head and looked over to Mysterie, his eyes dilated, no white; just empty pools of black. Sandy noticed and thought to himself. Oh no... Damn her she said no tricks! Nearby Shadow leaned against a wall with a smirk, seeing Sandy's look of outrage towards her, the fury, she held up her hands in surrender.

**"Oh no, don't pin this on ME. I haven't done a damn thing... Well, other than talk to Jakul. I promised I wouldn't do a thing... I'm a girl of my word. Jakul on the other** **hand..."** She smirked and Mysterie paled, hissing out a curse as she stumbled over to Jack, one of the crutches falls from her grip and clatters to the floor. Everyone freezes as there's sounds of footsteps.

"Damnit all!" There was no way she was going to let Sandy or Jack be caught by those... monsters. Silver sand swirled around her, for a moment she seemed like her old self as she sent out the sand to wrap around both of the Guardians, forcing the connection that Sandy had made to snap even as dark shapes began to materialize in the dark hallway nearby; Shadow smirked a little as the connect was broken, knowing that she was still trapped in that... nightmare wasn't a strong enough word or right exactly. Jack and Sandy were both forced back out before either could do anything. Jack gasped, clutching at his chest in pain, trying to shake off the hypnotic spell. Jakul huffed.

"Damn... I was so close too!" Jakul growled in frustration. Jack turned to look at Shadow in panic and fear. She opened her eyes slowly, regarding Jack a moment before a sadistic smile touched her lips.

**"Oh... you really shouldn't have done that... They"** She stressed the word. **"don't take kindly to escape attempts... I guess you really don't know what they've done have you?" **She chuckled darkly, able to hear Mysterie's screams and pleas that landed only on deaf ears.

**"Poor Jack... so naive..." **Jack growled as both of his eyes suddenly turned a stormy blue.

"Listen here bitch, I've had enough of you! Let Mysterie go now! Before I find reason you should be afraid of me!" Sandy summoned some of his sand whips to hold Jack back as he struggled because of the strength of trying to get to her and hurt her; he could hear the groan and strain of the whips holding him back and keeping him from killing her right then and there. She laughed softly.

**"Oh let him go Sandman. He wouldn't dare... he knows that anything he does to me would hurt her. He's not stupid after all. You know what... just because I love a good show I'll actually do it... this time. Next time though, Frost... I think I'll have more time to play..."** She gave him a seductive smile and winked before she imply slumped in the chair; for a moment Mysterie didn't move, her breathing a little shaky from fear as her hands clenched tightly into fists. She'd gone from a sick form of torture to being back in control again. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her sanity.


	2. Fun's Darkness

"Mysterie." Jack said and Sandy let him go once he was back to his normal self. Jack hugged her close to him, whispering sweet nothings to her to try and comfort her.

"I love you, don't forget that... whatever happened, please don't forget I am not gonna let you go. Not now, not ever." Sandy cried a single gold tear at the moving sight and words. He never could imagined that Jack could be so... sentimental and sweet and... just ... okay, he didn't quite have words for it as he watched Mysterie bury her head against Jack's hoodie, not noticing the sand cuffs disappear; not having noticed they were even there in the first. She couldn't stop the tears even as she clung to Jack, quietly crying and taking the comfort he offered.

"Shh, shh... I'm here Myst. I'm here. I won't let them get you, not while I'm still breathing." Jakul chuckled.

"Wanna bet? Not while I'm here." Jack's eyes widened at the comment before shouting in pain, feeling like he was being ripped in two and being put back together, just as his staff had been three years before. Mysterie buried herself closer to Jack, unaware of the golden sand that suddenly seemed to surround the two of them; pushing at both Shadow and Jakul, to the two dark ones it would feel like a giant hand slamming them into a brick wall. She was oblivious to the fact that she was doing this.

"NO WAY! I'M DONE BEING PUT IN A CORNER JACK!" Jakul screamed and Jack cried out ever slowly as he lost complete control. He covered his ears, ask if that would shut out the 300 year old memories of his former life as Jackson Overland Frost; memories he'd managed to suppress until lately.

"M-mysterie." Jack stammered as he felt like he was being plunged into the cold waters again from that icy pond. He gasped for air, only to get none.

"I'm not leaving you alone..." She whispered and pulled him down to press her lips against his, holding to him in desperation... aware that if Jakul pressed too much neither one of them would be able to surface from the darkness. jack felt the warmth, he reached out to it only to be denied as Jakul took control long enough to push her off him. Jack whimpered at the loss of comforting contact and he felt his body in even more agony than before. Shadow whispered in Mysterie's mind to let Jack give in and that everything would be fine afterwards.

"P-please s-stop..." Jack pleased as he curled up on the floor, wanting the torture to end. Mysterie fell out of the chair as she lurched forward for Jack again, tumbling next to him; ignoring the sand that swirled around them, some of it silver, some of it black. She closed her eyes and clung to Jack as if he were her only hope... he was... and she waited to see what would come of them; shakily brushing a lock of Jack's hair from his face, whispering softly even as tears pooled in her eyes.

"I won't ever leave you... I love you Jack Frost... I always will..." Shadow sneers at the sentiment. Jack's eyes went wide.

"I-I w-won't l-let y-y-you go M-M-Mysterie." Jack stuttered as he struggled harder against the black ice that was creeping onto his hoodie. All the while he was mentally being assaulted by the memories, from images he'd seen from the link to his death beneath the pond's ice as well as his old fears and mistakes. Jack found himself sinking and he realized he was falling into the pond again, this time there was no moon, only darkness and he realized that he'd lost. Jakul won. Wouldn't it be better to just give in? He felt a strange warmth from the darkness, like all his troubles would be over if he just gave in. Jack's body stopped moving and his eyes became nothing more than black ink pools. Sandy gasped silently in fear and he tried to use his sand to push Jack back from the brink, but Jakul crushes the light Sandy attempts to bring like it was nothing. Mysterie held Jack close, falling with him into the icy depths of darkness without a second thought. Jack's mouth moves without his consent.

"You're too late Sandman. You both know as well as I that Jack's mine now." He chuckled darkly with Jack's voice.

"Don't worry, he's happy where he is, in the embracing darkness like he always wanted to show you both now." Jakul stood up and smiled darkly, it looked unnatural on Jack's face, because Jack's smile was so full of mischief, happiness, fun and love... but Jakul's was full of evil, darkness, insanity, and sadistic perverted glee and as he looked at Mysterie his smile got bigger.

"Hey Mysterie, you ready for some fun?" He laughed as he could practically smell the fear from her even as she just stared in sad resignation. Sandy stared in shock a moment before rushing off to fetch the other Guardians.

"You couldn't possibly be worse than them... she never showed you how to be..." Mysterie managed to mutter and Jakul growled in anger.

"So what. Doesn't mean I can't get Jack's first believer quivering with fright. Also, you must know your time's running out as well." He chuckled darkly, inching closer to her.

"Besides, I'm still the same Jack, just better." He slid his hand to her bottom, but she merely replied quietly as if he hadn't touched her at all.

"You know the Guardians won't allow it... even if I can't stop you... they can." He leaned close to the shell of her ear.

"I doubt it." With that he huffed cold breath into her ear and walked towards the window, grabbing the staff and he looked at it, smiling.

"Could use a make over, don't you think?" He turned to look at the nearby mirror.

"I guess I could change my clothing style as well." The Guardians coming up the stairs noisily.

"Oh well, time for me to skedattle. See ya soon Mysterie." He licked his lips, giving her a perverted smile before flying out the window only moments before the other guardians burst in, huffing and puffing. Sandy looked at her, shooting fast symbols while Bunny said the same thing.

"WHERE'S JACK?!"

"Gone. She mutters before slipping from consciousness, too overwhelmed from all she'd done and been through the last hour; Shadow's laughter echoing in her mind.


	3. Dark Fun

"JACK!" Jamie called excitedly to Jack when he saw him, but it wasn't Jack who smiled at the boy as he floated down with a fake smile. Oh, if it isn't "my" believer...

"Hey kiddo, how is everything?" He asked as Jack normally would have, Jamie smiled in response not knowing the infinite danger he was in.

Sandy was the only Guardian who stayed behind to look after the unconscious spirit - none of them knew what she was exactly - while the others spread out in search of Jakul. It was Bunny who'd thought to go straight to Jamie's house, fearing that the boy was a likely target and in danger. He hoped out of a tunnel near by in time to see Jamie greet Jakul. Bunny didn't waste time, tossing a boomerang at him; knowing it would likely miss but the aim was to get Jamie away from "Jack" rather than actually hit the winter spirit. He needed to get the boy away. Jakul growled as he dodged it.

"HEY KANGAROO! WHAT'S YOUR DEAL?!" Jamie looked shocked at Bunny for a moment before taking a closer look at "Jack" and realized that his eyes weren't as bright as they usually were and he began to worry.

"Jack... what's going on?" Jakul looked back towards the boy.

"Oh, nothing's wrong. Why don't we go have a snowball fight at the lake?" Jamie smiled, his fears put to rest almost instantly as he nodded and ran inside to get ready. The boy thinking he needed to bring Pippa and the others to the snowball fight to make it more fun.

"So, Cottontail, how are you and those pathetic Guardians doing?" Jakul snickered in mock civility.

"You touch one hair on that kid's head and you're gonna wish you never saw a snowflake in your life!" Bunny scowled, catching the boomerang as it came back. He leapt over to where Jakul was, putting himself between the door of the house and Jakul as he stood up to his full height, brandishing both boomerangs and looking a lot like he was ready to murder Jakul.

**"Now what would be the fun in that?"** Bunny spun around, his eyes narrowing when he saw that SHE was there too now. She was playing with a bit of sand as she sat on the edge of the fence that went around the Bennett home; the Pooka didn't hesitate to attack, he might have gone soft on Jakul because of Jack, but he wasn't about to do the same for her.

"Ha ha! Glad you could make it Shadow! Ready for some fun?" Jakul chuckled and froze the Pooka's feet before he could get closer to her as Jamie opened the door for the "snowball fight. He smiled as he came out onto the porch.

"Hey Jack, you ready to play?" Jakul smirked.

"Oh, yeah. Ready to play alright." His voice suddenly took on a nasty tone and Jamie looked worried at the sudden change only to gasp when he saw Shadow on the fence and Bunny struggling against the ice that had him rooted to the spot.

"Jack... what's going on? Why's she here and why is Bunny frozen?" He asked, his brown eyes shining with his innocence.

**"Why is Bunny frozen he asks."** Shadow laughed a little, the sand she was playing with zipped over to Jamie, growing in size and swirling about the boy, trapping him.

**"Well... shall we finish what we started now?"**

"Jamie run!" Bunny yelled as he struggled harder against the ice.

"Oh this is gonna be fun." Jakul dove forward, freezing the boy's wrists in ice shackles, Jamie cried out in pain as frostbite from the shackles slowly seeped into his skin and was edging towards hypothermia quickly, though it held back.

"How do you like them? I thought of them a while back while capturing nightmares."

"JACK STOP! THIS ISN'T YOU!"

"Oh, but it is Jamie. It is." Jack smiled darkly, revealing his fangs. Shadow smirked.

**"Not bad... now let's get him up stairs... It's too cold out here to enjoy him properly..."** The terror in the boy's eyes made her smirk grow as he was hoisted up by the sand and sent floating throughout he window he kept unlocked for Jack. She was right behind him on a cloud of black sand.

"Hmmm... what toys do you have Shadow 'cause I have more painful ones that will send delicious screams." On the inside, Jack was beyond horrified. J-jamie! Jack tugged at the dark water that was holding him captive inside himself.

"LET ME GO!" Jakul winced.

"I think he's trying to fight back. Damn it, I thought I broke his will."

**"I say start with the icicle... nothing I have will prepare him enough for the fun until after that... plus we don't want to break him the first time..." **Shadow said, ignoring Jack's outburst, the black sand snapping around the struggling boy to pin him down to the bed. He lets out a whimper of pure fear, not having any idea what she was talking about; only knowing that he had a right to be afraid... very afraid as the two stood a the end of the bed discussing... something.

**"I'm sure Jack is fighting... but this time there's going to be no interference... not from the other Guardians."** More black sand spun from her, blocking the window and the door and encompassing the trio in a solid wall of sand. She smirked while Jakul slowly striped Jamie of his Jacket while the boy whimpered and pleaded to be let go. Jakul made an icicle the size of a cucumber and shredded the boy's shirt as the youth still pleaded, tugging frantically at his bonds. A frantic tugging within made Jakul stop and kept him from disposing of the boy's pants; one of Jakul's eyes returned to being icy blue as Jack struggled to help his first believer. Seeing the struggle Jakul was obviously having with jack, Shadow's sand finished stripping the boy before pinning the youth's legs down onto the bed to keep him from trying to kick either of them.

**"Now then... let's start shall we? I promise I'll let you be his first... but I can help a little..."** Jamie's eyes went wide as he suddenly began to understand, he opened his mouth to protest but an impromptu gag of sand kept him from it, clamping his jaw tight.

**"Ah ah... not yet boy... Soon though... soon."** She wasn't going to let him make any words unless it was him begging them... She moved over to the struggling youth whose fear grew larger by the minute. She stopped on the opposite side of the bed from Jakul, running her fingers gently along the boy's chest even as tears sprang to his eyes. Her touch was seductive, light, gentle... everything that would begin to elect the boy's body to arousal without touching below his waist just yet. An inner struggle continued with Jack and Jakul while Jakul chuckled.

"If you bite I will rip out your tongue." Jack forced his lips on the boy's unwilling mouth, forcing his cold tongue inside as the boy whimpered into the kiss. Jack fought harder than before, causing Jakul pain. Shadow chuckled at the sound Jamie made, knowing that the boy's innocence was broken now.

"GRR! Stop fighting it Frost! You do know this is one of your dirty desires! Don't deny you want this." Jack growled at him from within, swearing and pushing from the black goo that was holding him. Gasping, Jack had control again and he lunged at Shadow, tackling her to the ground, breaking the ice chains that held Jamie. Shadow let out a sort of squeak of surprise when Jack suddenly slammed her to the ground and broke her grip on the boy.

"JAMIE RUN! GET THE-" Before Jack could finish the other Guardians broke down the door to the boy's room. Shadow laughs.

**"You're too late this time Frost!"** She crowed happily. Tooth blanched when she took in the scene, but it quickly turns to outrage. North and Bunny moved to Jamie as the boy curled up, weeping silently. North wrapped the boy in a blanket while Tooth and Bunny helped Jack hold Shadow down. Sandy wrapped her back in golden bonds once more. Jack snarled down at her like a feral animal.

"You! I should kill you!" He held the collar of her shirt tightly in his hands and it takes all of the Guardians to hold him back from doing what he'd promised.

"You ruined him! You evil, ice cold bitch!" Jack snarled again, fangs growing from Jakul's influence, though mostly from the spike of anger that Jack was showing that made him want to kill her. She was aware of it but it didn't scare her, not like it should have. Bunny slaps Jack and the fangs disappear and the eyes that had been becoming pitch black were now again an icy blue. Suddenly though they become black again as Jack lashed out suddenly at the Pooka.

"JACK!" North yelled in shock and Sandy's sand bound Jack tighter than even the bonds he'd put on Shadow.

"LET ME KILL HER! SHE DESERVES TO DIE FOR WHAT SHE FUCKING DID TO JAMIE!" He cries out in anger and frustration. Sandy touched Shadow's head, trying to push away Shadow's influence for the time being as she laughed at Jack's anger, eyes alight but when Sandy pushed at her a whip of black sand sent the little Guardian tumbling back. Shadow snarled at the golden man.

**"Don't even try it. I'm not so weak as to fall for a little bit of your sand. You might bind me or put me to sleep but you can't purge me! You Guardians cannot stop us now! WE have only just begun!"**


	4. A Wish Granted

**"For what I've done Frost? What about you? Don't deny it... you ENJOYED every bloody minute of it..."** Shadow cackled and Jack snarled, his eyes aflame with a promised vengeance and he struggled harder to get free; though the force of his desire to see her dead scared even Jakul.

"Uh, Shadow... I think we pushed him too far." Jakul managed but Shadow only raised an eyebrow.

**"Eh, he'll get over it or he'll end up like his "darling" Mysterie..."** She smirked at that, eyeing Jack with an evil, sickeningly sweet smile.

**"I don't know why you bother Jackie... You could even save your beloved from a mere memory. Why did you think you could save your first believer's innocence? Besides... it happens to all mortals sooner or later... I just got there sooner."** She smirked before Sandy put her to sleep before the little Guardian turned to Jack, sending the same sand into him so that the Guardians can haul them back to the pole. Bunny and Sandy stayed behind with Jamie to try and fix the mess that had just occurred, though both know that even with the comfort they offer the boy that he will never again be the same. That they cannot truly fix what has been taken from the boy. When Jack awoke again he found himself on a cozy warm bed that wasn't so unfamiliar, nor was the faint din of toys being built or the smell of good things cooking... mostly cookies. Getting up, he cried out when he stubbed his toe against a nightstand.

"Ouch!" He looked around and thought about what had happened the night before, it seemed a little fuzzy and all he could remember clearly at the moment was asking Jamie if he wanted to play. A yeti garbled something at the doorway as Jack yawned and soon the other Guardians were in the room, each looking at him with concern. None of them were easy around him, he might not remember, but they did... and he was alone in the room otherwise as they watched him. Sandy furiously flipping through symbols as usual and the others seemed mildly relieved as he reassured them. Jack looks at them, completely confused.

"Hey guys, what's up?" He walked around, looking for his staff, but it's nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, you seen my staff?" Jack asked as he checked behind a cupboard, finding nothing but an endless supply of ice cubes as well as other treasures and keepsakes. Tooth fluttered nearby nervously as the others glanced to her; she nodded and then turned back to Jack with a smile.

"Jack... don't you remember?" The other Guardians leave, except Bunny who crossed his arms as he watched Jack suspiciously. Jack turned after grabbing one of his treasures, a music box.

"Remember what Tooth?" His eyes spoke of honest, innocent confusion.

"What's going on guys?" Tooth and Bunny glanced at one another and she nodded a little.

"Maybe it's best if you don't Jack... That was... pretty bad for us all. You took it the hardest, you should stay here and rest for the day." Tooth glanced back over at Bunny who nodded and she walked off down the hall, which is unusual but the room was enchanted to prevent anyone inside from using any form of magic to affect anything around them, which of course meant Tooth could only hover for so long under her own power. Bunny closed the door behind her, he seemed to be watching Jack warily.

"Wha' do ya remember most recently mate?" He asked carefully.

Jack sat on the edge of his bed.

"Not much really, just remembering that Jamie asked me to come out and play and..." Jack faltered suddenly, seeing an image flash before him as he clutched his chest, slamming back against the wall. Bunny watched, concern flickering over his features.

"Jack? You alright there mate?" Bunny wondered if North wasn't too off by adding the protective wards to this room, it was unnerving to be unable to reach one's magic, but Bunny relied on it the least and so he could stand it the longest out of all the others. Jack was trembling, after a couple minutes he was able to bring his breathing back to normal only to think to himself. _Who... and what... was that?_

"I'm fine Bunny, j-just got sacred for a second... uh, though I saw a spider." He thought that had to be the worst lie in the history of lies. Shakily he got to his feet and resumed his search for his staff.

"Uh, Bunny? Do you know where my staff is?"

"Nah, only Sandy knows that." Jack could only think that all of the Guardians were acting really weird.

"Welp, I'll go ask him." Jack opened the door and walked out, searching for Sandy. He finds him several feet away seeming to be nibbling his fingers in fright as North was speaking in hushed whispers and Jack surmised that it was about him as he noticed he became immediately uncomfortable when he walked over, they smiled a little.

"Hey Sandy, have you seen my staff? Holland's not gonna ice itself you know." Sandy made signs that clearly said Jack can't have it back even as the sound of a choked sob and dark laughter came from a room nearby with a yeti standing guard in front of the door. Jack glanced around suddenly, searching for the source of the dark laughter before his confusion at all of this turns to frustration.

"Why not?" Jack looked at Sandy and wondering why while Jakul goaded his frustration, trying to get Jack to return to being feral creature like.

"Sandy, it's not your choice who can and can't keep my staff. It's mine and I'd like it back please."

"Not until we're sure you're okay mate. You gave us a right scare and I wager Ja-" Bunny clammed up instantly before saying anything more when Sandy caught his eye with a warning look. Tooth emerged wearily from the room the yeti was guarding. Jack looked at the Guardians in frustration then confusion. What was their problem? What was Bunny going to say?

"Bunny, what was it you were gonna say?" Bunny winced a little and North shifted a bit, uneasy. Tooth just looked sympathetic and Sandy, well he wasn't showing anything.

"What was he talking about North? What's with that dark laughter behind that door? What the hell happened?!" Jack was growing more towards being feral again by the second as his canine teeth became fangs and his eyes began to darken towards black. Tooth gasps and Bunny yanked Jack back into the room, shutting the door again.

"Not until you get control of that ruddy dark one." Jack blinked several times, shaking his head as he regained control. _**What** was that?!_ Jack looked at Bunny in fear and horror.

"W-what's w-wrong w-w-with me?!"

"Donno mate." Jack felt unsure as another memory flashed before his mind's eye and he collapsed to the floor, unmoving as he felt like he was inside the memory, feeling the torture of it as he was forced to watch Jamie being raped. Bunny's eyes widened.

"Jack! Jack! Speak ta me mate!" Even as he stared at his comrade, faint sobbing could be heard from two doors away from them. Jack doesn't move, stuck i the torture, his eyes tearing up as he just stares unblinking. He gasped harshly when finally he came back to the world and it all made sense now.

"J-Jamie I-" Jack sobbed harsly, the sob cutting him off and he felt hatred for himself and for what he'd done... for everything he'd done rise in his chest.

"B-bunny... i-i-is Jamie o-okay?" Jack looked at him with a plea, hoping beyond hope that what he'd just seen wasn't real, that it had been some horrible nightmare instead of a memory. Bunny swallowed hard, seeing the look in Jack's eyes; he wished he really could tell the winter spirit it had just been one of Pitch's nightmares... that they hadn't busted down Jamie's door to rescue the youth from...

"Yeah... I don't think he'll be the same... His faith in us was pretty shaken... but North is with him now." Bunny crouched down near Jack, a little wary but there was genuine worry in his eyes.

"We don't blame you mate... That... that wasn't you." There's a thump it the background and Bunny wonders what the heck is going on in that room now, but ignores it in favor of Jack. Jack clutched at his head, wanting to be shoved in some dark hole and never come out again.

"I can't be a Guardian... I harmed an innocent child!" Jack cried out, the pain searing through him... how could he have let that happen to Jamie? To his best believer and friend? How could he have ever... He wailed out in his sorrow, this was beyond his screw ups before because there was no way to mend the trust he was sure to have been broken.

The door swung open, North was standing there.

"Um... i-is this a bad time?" It wasn't North who had spoken though, the voice was far too young and timid. Peering uncertainly around the large Guardian was Jamie. He felt his heart cry out when he saw Jack who look so stricken and they'd heard the winter spirit's wail only moments before. Jack reached out and hugged Bunny like he was a life line.

"No... what the fuck is wrong with me..." Jack groaned into the fur, gripping it like he expected the Pooka would just up and disappear if he didn't hold him tight. Bunny starts, looking down at Jack then over at North who nods.

"You couldn't have picked perfect time." North assures the boy with a pat on his back.

"Now, much as I like ya frostbite... this ain't my place ta interfere." Bunny carefully peeled himself away from Jack as Jamie slowly stepped forward into the room. North and Bunny both slipped out as Jamie stared at Jack with quiet concern on his face. The door closes but it is the quiet sob from several doors down that makes the youth jump a little. He glances about before turning back to Jack. Jack didn't look at Jamie, pulling his hood up to hide his face as he turned towards one corner, the sob that came from him was quieter and he clenched his fists in regret until they began bleeding. Jamie hesitated only a moment before he closed the distance and threw his arms around his best friend.

"I don't blame you Jack. I swear I don't..." He whispered. "it wasn't you. I know it." Jack tried to squirm out of the hug, he didn't think he deserved it as guilt ate at him, but Jamie didn't let go of him.

"J-jamie please let go... I hurt you and I can't forgive myself for what I did.." Jack struggled, finding that the boy had a surprisingly strong grip which made Jack wonder if the boy was really that strong or if he was just really that weak. Jack was on the verge of tears again when he cried out.

"JAMIE PLEASE LET GO! I HURT YOU DAMN IT! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND I ALMOST RAPED YOU?!" There was a hint of desperation in his voice as he managed to pull himself away from the boy. Anger bubbled up in Jamie as he was forced to let go, his hands clenched into fists; Jack was his FRIEND after all... this wasn't Jack's fault it was...

"This wasn't your fault... that wasn't you! It was HER! She's been nothing but trouble since she arrived! None of this would have happened if she had never come here!" Jamie glared at the wall in the direction of the other room, unknowingly glaring in the direction of the one his anger was directed at. There was a tense silence and the boy growled as frustration rose in him. He was not going to lose his friend because of her! He was not!

"I wish she'd just leave and never come back!"

"As you wish..." A soft voice seemed to say to the room, Jamie blinked in confused anger at the voice, what the heck?! Who had said that? Seconds later there was an uproar in the hallway as yetis and Guardians began yelling and searching the workshop for the missing spirit. The two could hear the whole thing and Jack turned back to Jamie.

"Jamie w-what did you say...?" Jamie wondered how in the world his words could have gotten any sort of response like this. Fear flashed over Jack's features as he spots what seemed to be a shadow out the window. He looked at Jamie, suddenly worried.

"Jamie, stay here." Jack's fear turned unusually to anger against Jamie when the boy walks over to him, wondering what is wrong.

"Back." Jack says and the boy looks at him confused.

"Wha-"

"I SAID BACK OFF! IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE'S GONE! DO YOU EVEN HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH I LOVED HER! DO YOU?!" Jamie looks shocked for a moment, but when he thought he might be losing his best friend tears began streaming down his face.

"Oh Jamie..." Jack groaned, he'd done it again... he'd hurt the boy... Instead of throwing his arms around Jack again he gathered some snow from the floor, as at some point it had started to snow in the room and it was now completely blanketed, he threw a snowball smack into Jack's face. Jack shook the snow off and Jamie then tackled the winter spirit into a hug, the two of them tumbling into the snow.

"Jack... she was no good for you. She was too far gone. North explained everything to me." Jack could only shake his head as tears fell from his eyes and he hugged the boy close. He didn't have the strength of will then to wonder why North would tell his best friend about all of that. It didn't matter, the boy hadn't given up on him and he didn't think he could stand it if the boy did so now. He vowed he would do whatever he could to make sure what had happened the night before never would again. For a moment, Mysterie hovered on the sand just outside Jack's room fighting the tug of magic within her and her eyes gleamed with tears for the longest moment as she watched Jamie embrace Jack again; so intent on holding on to his best friend. Finally she turned and fled from the pole. She didn't want to leave, but the boy had made his wish and the magic within her, magic that she didn't yet understand... With frightening devastation, she realized what her center was. She knew that Jamie was right... from the first moment that she had met Jack... things had just gone wrong. Wrong for her... and more importantly, wrong for him. She let the sand take her away from the pole, settling into Antarctica. After all, the wish had been general... not specific... but the force of it would likely limit her movements on the planet and she could only weep as she lay in the snow after landing.

"I'm sorry Jack... I... I just want this to all stop." Jamie said as he hugged Jack more tightly, he couldn't help the anger he felt at the other spirit... It had been her fault all of this was happening... He just wanted things to be the way they used to be... He wanted his friend back.


	5. Repercussions

It had been two weeks since she'd disappeared, the other Guardians had noticed that Jack had become even more unreachable to them than before; that the rift between them had grown wider and that the incident had caused Jack to withdraw from them more instead of reaching out to them. Jack sat at the window sill of his room at the North Pole when he wasn't out sending snow where it needed to be. It was all he could really manage to get himself to do, he couldn't help it as Jamie's careless wish haunted him; he would spend all his free time gazing out the window with his hood drawn up and every time someone attempted to talk to him he snapped. He'd even gone so far as to freeze Bunny when the Pooka had attempted to draw him out. Each time they tried it only got worse and many times they'd suggested that he go see Jamie, but he couldn't bring himself to do it because all he could think about was Mysterie and just thinking about Jamie made him remember too clearly the anger the boy had against her. He couldn't help but wonder what those words the two of them had heard actually meant. Three simple words... 'as you wish...' what could that mean for her? He shuddered to think just what it could mean... Jamie hadn't wanted her to ever come back... His heart clenched tightly in his chest as he thought that he never might see her again...

Mysterie stood at the top of a bar that had been set up in the suburbs in a small town south of Burgess. It was as close as she could get to where Jamie lived; the music to a song she had not heard in years began to drift up to her and a sad smile touched her lips because she remembered it, just as she remembered the brilliant blue eyes she had grown to love so quickly; her eyes shifted in the direction of Burgess, her former home and the home of the man she loved as she began to sing with the song though she knew no one would hear her.

_Everybody's got something they had to leave behind_

_One regret from yesterday that just seems to grow with time_

_There's no use looking back or wondering_

_How it could be now or might have been_

_All this I know, but still I can't find ways to let you go_

_I never had a dream come true_

_'Til the day that I found you_

_Even though I pretend that I've moved on_

_You'll always be my baby_

_I've never found the words to say_

_You're the one I think about each day_

_And I know no matter where life takes me to_

_A part of me will always be with you_

_Somewhere in my memory I've lost all sense of time_

_And tomorrow can never be because yesterday is all that fills my mind_

_There's no use looking back or wondering_

_How it should be now or might have been_

_All this I know_

_But still I can't find ways to let you go_

_I never had a dream come true_

_'Til the day that I found you_

_Even though I pretend that I've moved on_

_You'll always be my baby_

_I've never found the words to say_

_You're the one I think about each day_

_And I know no matter where life takes me to_

_A part of me will always be ..._

_You'll always be the dream that fills my head_

_Yes you will_

_Say you will oh baby_

_You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget_

_There's no use looking back or wondering_

_Because love is a strange and funny thing_

_No matter how I try and try_

_I just can't say goodbye_

_No, no, no, no..._

_I never had a dream come true_

_'Til the day that I found you_

_Even though I pretend that I've moved on_

_You'll always be my baby_

_I never found the words to say_

_You're the one I think about each day_

_And I know no matter where life takes me to_

_A part of me will always be..._

_A part of me will always be with you_

Mysterie nearly choked on the last words, she missed him more than even the song could say... but it was close. She turned away and brushed away tears of loneliness and sadness; for she had found that just as no one could see Jack the first time he had come into the world as Jack Frost so was she invisible to the world. No one had seen her since Jamie and because of the boy's wish she couldn't even get close to the town he lived in... banned from the place by her own magic. With a quiet sob she summoned her sand and flew off into the night. She had to keep moving, there wasn't a spirit that hadn't heard by now what had happened to Jamie and every one that she'd happened upon, even Cupid, had taken shots at her for it. As dangerous as it was, she kept returning to this town... one that she hadn't even bothered to find out what its name was; not that it mattered really, but it was as close as she could manage to get to the place she had once called home for even the North Pole was a place she could not visit thanks to Jamie's wish. Although she realized she could visit any one of the other Guardians' homes - outside Jack's pond of course - but she didn't dare because she was on shaky ground with them as it was. She didn't think any of them would give her the sanctuary she so desperately needed.


	6. Shattered Hearts

"Come on, Jack! Let's have a snowball fight! You haven't done one in weeks." Jamie pleaded as the other Guardians stood behind the boy in his back yard; they'd all gathered, trying to pull Jack from his mood and get him to do more than just make a light snow fall.

"Come on ya bloody show pony, jus' make a snowfall. It's not the end of the world." Jack bristled at the Pooka's choice of words and Bunny's ears flattened a little in fear.

"End of the world... right, you know who was my world? _Mysterie_, her and the kids I might add." Tooth tried to calm him down with a comforting touch on his shoulder, but Jack wasn't having any of it; instead of making the snow fall that Jamie wanted for his home town, a huge blizzard was whipped up and it flowed across the world as Jack's eyes briefly flickered from their normal brilliant blue to a darker stormy one before chaining back. Jack huffed a little as he sat on the fence he'd been leisurely walking along moments before they'd all showed up. Jamie was quickly hugged by both North and Bunnymund to shield him from the sudden onslaught of cold that could have caused hypothermia and seeing this caused a look of guilt to cross Jack's features before he flew off and away from his friends, ignoring their calls for him to come back. Jack was done with the lot of them trying to cheer him up when it was, partly, their fault he was so miserable. Sandy chased after Jack, he was done with the winter spirit's nonsense over this. He needed to talk to Jack, away from the others if he was going to get in any words in edgewise let alone get Jack's attention at all. He waited until the two of them were out of sight of the others before lassoing the young Guardian with a gold whip and yanking the winter boy to him; he had something to say and the boy was going to listen to him if he had to truss him up in dream sand from head to foot. Below them, in the nearby town, everyone was riding out Jack's blizzard; Mysterie had found herself a cave just outside the town and watched the snow turn the world around her white for a while before it moved on. _Jack..._ There was no doubt in her mind it was his doing and that he wasn't happy. Jack never would purposely cause a white-out like that...

Jack was shocked and turned to see who had caught him only to see the bit of sand streaming out of Sandy's ears that meant he was mad.

"What do you want Sandy? Can't you see I'm done today?!" Jack struggled against the sand, icing it and breaking the whip; he called silently to the wind to take him out of there but this time the wind didn't obey him; instead a nearby cloud seemed to take the form of a woman with her arms crossed, the wind whirling about the image to make it come to life. Jack blinked against the gust.

"Fine! I don't need you to get around anyway!" He all but growled as the wind set him down on the ground. Instead of sticking about, he ran, disappearing into the woods with Sandy just behind him.

"Damn he's fast..." With a sigh of frustration, Sandy zipped around and the wind aided him this time; knocking Jack back into a snow bank, allowing Sandy enough time to float in front of him with large sand letters so that Jack couldn't possibly miss what he was saying:

JACK FROST WILL YOU STAY STILL FOR ONE FUCKING MINUTE TO TALK! I KNOW YOU'RE MAD AT JAMIE BUT WILL YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME A MINUTE?!

Jack stared with wide eyes. He had NEVER seen Sandy swear... ever, no matter how irritated he was with the other Guardians... Well, okay, so maybe the little Guardian had something serious to tell him. Jack sighed as he brushed snow off of him.

"Continue." Jack said, pretending to pick dirt from under his clean nails as he waited to see what the golden man had to say. Sandy crossed his arms, he still seemed a little ticked but also satisfied that he had gotten Jack to stay put for once; just because he didn't swear often didn't mean he never did. After all, it was something he didn't like doing and only did it when absolutely necessary... which he figured now had to be one of those rare times; his sand floated above his head in words so Jack would get the message clearly without needing any translation:

Jamie might have wished for her to leave, but I think there's a limit to that... She's not exactly gone so much as restricted. I know this because I caught a glimpse of her the other night. We don't know how her powers work or what exactly she is... But I think it's safe to say every spirit from light fairies to even dark spirits like Pitch have heard about what happened and they're not taking it well.

Jack's eyes lit up at the mention that Mysterie had been seen somewhere. Suddenly he felt guilt slam into him as he realized just how badly he'd been treating the others these past few weeks in his misery.

"Sandy... I'm sorry for being such an ass and endangering everyone. You just don't know how much I love her." He whispered the next words.

"She was my first." A few stray tears slid down his cheeks but then what the other Guardian had said finally clicked in his mind and he brightened considerably, the tears forgotten.

"Sandy... you said you saw her." He grabbed the smaller Guardian, shaking him gently for answers.

"Where is she?! When did you see her last?" Sandy nearly grinned when he realized Jack was acting a little like Tooth, but he kept from it because that would take a bit of explaining and he didn't think Jack would appreciate the comparison at the moment. Instead, a small smile crossed his features at first before he remembered what he'd seen the last time he'd seen the younger spirit.

Worry crossed the Sandman's features and an arrow formed from his sand pointing south before reforming into words:

Be careful Jack... When I saw her she was dealing with a pair of hot-headed summer spirits. I don't know if she drove them off or if they drove her off... I've seen her a couple of other times... the spirits are angry with her. Before anything else could be said, the North Wind was gone with Jack, leaving a whispered apology to Sandy who merely smiled a little and waved at them both as they disappeared towards the south. As Jack sped in that direction the snow he left behind was light and beautiful, just as it had once been before.

"I'm coming Mysterie. I won't ever let you go again... not ever!" Jack vowed to himself as he went off in search of her. Sandy knew too well what it was like to love because he had loved once, it had been a long time ago and it was a love that he had never revealed to anyone. One that still burned in his small chest from time to time; none of the others would ever suspect it. He knew too well that love was a powerful force that, sometimes, knew no boundaries...

Mysterie shot past a tree, barely escaping a vine that had whipped out in front of her. Damn it all! She was outnumbered, but that was nothing new, or hadn't been the last four weeks or so. _Why are there so many tonight?_ She wondered as she dodged a fire ball from a summer spirit only to be slammed into a tree by a boulder from an earth spirit. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as she heard a resounding crack, she pushed the boulder back from her with her sand, but she was certain by this point that she'd cracked a few ribs. _Wonderful..._

"You can't run forever you snake!" The summer spirit yelled as she ducked beneath a stream of flame, but yelped as a dagger of ice slammed into her left leg; a minor winter spirit had joined the fray. She stumbled back as they began to circle around her like vultures; a wind spirit floated down from the air, having seen the fight and deciding to also join. They were all glaring at her. The wind suddenly howled around Mysterie and the wind spirit could only think 'shit!' realizing that one of the ruling wind spirits had suddenly appeared and was protecting the wounded spirit before them.

"Run guys!" The air spirit managed to yell, but before the others could do anything, let alone reply, they were slammed with a flurry of hail that sent them scrambling back from Mysterie. Jack landed, his eyes filled with barely contained fury. The spirits were bloodied and could barely move by the time the ice storm had stopped, but they were still very much alive and very afraid as they stared up at the furious Guardian. They knew who he was and it would be suicide for their kind to even entertain the idea of going against him.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Jack snarled, he looked anything but happy as his eyes darted from one injured spirit to the next; his eyes shining as they became pools of black, the spirits could only stare in utter horror; they knew too well what the winter spirit was capable of, he wasn't the master of the season of winter for nothing.

"Please... he can't do this! Please help!" The young wind spirit whispered to Mysterie, the young spirit had managed to evade most of the brunt of the attack; but even so the spirit was covered in bruises and blood.

"You worthless spirits will be an example of what happens when you attack Mysterie." The spirits trembled in fear, they had thought that he was on their side and had only thought good things of the youngest Guardian until now. They had never imagined that his wrath would be brought down on their heads.

"Jack no!" Mysterie cries out, knowing that she couldn't allow him to do this. Not for the sake of the spirits who were cowering in fear, but for his sake; she knew that Jack had never killed anyone on purpose before and that once someone had crossed that line there was no going back... She couldn't let him do it, because she knew how painful such regret was.

"It's not worth it... THEY are not worth it..." She went on, hoping that she could reach him. Hearing her voice calmed Jack down and kept him from ending the spirits; even so his anger isn't gone.

"If I ever catch you or any other spirits harming her I won't let you go alive." He snarled for emphasis and the wounded spirits scrambled away from the two as fast as they could. Jack turned away from the fleeing forms to his love.

"M-mysterie." He moved to be close to her, he could scarcely believe she was really here; that he was seeing her again. He hugged her close, tears of joy falling from his eyes.

"I love you so much and I've missed you." Mysterie blinked, a little surprised that her words really had been able to reach him and she winced from some bruises she'd gotten earlier on and now that Jack was hugging against, causing her a bit of pain.

"Ouch... um... not so tight please. I don't want my ribs puncturing my lungs." She wasn't sure how to fully react, he'd gone from full fury to... this... in a matter of seconds... but she couldn't help feeling relieved to see him once more. Jack let go of her immediately, his eyes had blackened to the point that only a slender part of them were blue now.

"Next time they're not going to get away with more than flesh wounds." Jack snarled, his anger rising again. Frightened by the change, the wind pushed him away from the severely injured spirit, knowing too well how dark Jack's been becoming as of late; Jakul chuckles at the wind. Mysterie winced and despite her wounds she scrambled away from Jack, eyes wide with fear and yet... sad at the same time.

"Can't stop it. It's who he is now and I am purely a part of him, only if he lets his emotions get out of hand." The wind whispers what Jakul has said, though it really isn't needed; though it seemed that seeing her had calmed Jack down considerably... if only temporarily.

"Mysterie... what happened? Why did you leave?" Jack asked, honestly curious even as he sighed; anger swirling within him for no real reason. She didn't answer his question, she wasn't really sure what to say for the moment that wouldn't just make him more angry and she didn't want him anymore angry at Jamie than he likely already was. She wasn't a Guardian, she hadn't taken the oath, but she would still protect the children and that included protecting Jamie from the anger of the winter spirit that was his best friend. Jack shook his head, giving her the brightest smile suddenly.

"Don't worry about it, let's go back to Burgess!" He moved to help her up, not aware that she couldn't follow him there. She shook her head, backing up only to wince as she felt the sting of the ice dagger that was still lodged in her leg. She hissed a little in pain, reaching for the thing and gritting her teeth before she yanked it free. Blood quickly poured from the wound until sand wrapped around it into a makeshift bandage.

"I can't Jack... Jamie's wish... I... I can't. I..." Tears began falling down her face, but she didn't notice as her misery seemed to set in; her next words were whispered almost too softly to hear, desperate sorrow lacing her voice.

"What have I done..." The feel of a gentle touch startles her and she looks up to meet Jack's brilliant blue eyes through her blurry vision.

"If you can't come with me then I'll stay with you. Like I said before, I love you, and won't ever let you go."

"Jack..." The word comes out, her voice a bit chocked and she chokes back a sob even as she begins to cry even harder. Why do I make a mess of everything I touch?! How can you even say you love me when I... She couldn't finish the thought, she'd done some bad things when she'd been alive, but nothing ever as remotely bad as what Shadow had forced her to do to the innocent Jamie. Jack gently kissed the tears from her face.

"Please don't cry. I'm here and I won't ever leave you alone. Not ever again, promise me you won't leave me again." He sat next to her, brushing twigs from her hair; thinking only that every part of her was so beautiful, that there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to keep this from happening to her again. Mysterie buried her head in her hands, ignoring the pain of her wounds as she cried; nothing seemed right to her anymore... nothing but the pain...


	7. Reemergence

Mysterie wept for what she had done, not just to Jamie... but for the monster she'd brought out in Jack... for having corrupted him without ever meaning to... for the waste that her life had been in pursuing Jack when she should have just enjoyed the world around her and then returned to her life when her vacation time had been up... Everything she had tried to do... all she had meant... It had come to ruin and all she could do was despair and weep for it. As a spirit whose center was Wishes, she couldn't grant her own dearest wish... to disappear from this world... She simply curled up on herself, Jack's touch only making her cry harder and despair all the more. For what had once been so pure and light... she had tainted with darkness. Jack sighed, hugging her close and trying to ignore her tears that seeped into his hoodie as he tried to comfort her.

"It's not your fault." He whispered softly, soothingly.

"I think I figured out what you meant about the wish. You can only grant children's wishes, can't you? And you had to obey Jamie's wish... No matter what, I won't ever leave your side. Not ever again, I promise you." Unable to speak at the moment, though her tears had begun to dry up again, she shrugged a little. Silver sand swirls around in the air a little before finally forming words:

I did have no choice... but I don't think it's just the wishes of children... It's not something I've had the opportunity to test. He was right though, much as I hate that... I shouldn't have ever gone to Burgess in the first place.

It had been a trip she'd taken on a whim because she wanted to see the place where rumors had said the winter spirit had made his home; had she ever suspected any of this might happen she might never have set foot in the city. For a moment Jack's anger rose and his eyes shone black before returning to normal again.

"Jamie was wrong. Utterly wrong, I don't care what he says and neither should you; I love you." He sealed his words with a long, emotional kiss; pouring all of his feelings into it as he held her close. Mysterie shivered from the force of the emotions she felt from Jack; despite having been away from him, the bond was still very much intact. She returned his kiss desperately because for all she had despaired, whatever she might feel from what had happened, she and missed Jack so very much in those past weeks. Jack pulled her down into the snowdrift with him, a mischievous smile on his face even as he spoke quietly. She let out a soft squeak of surprise when she fell into the snowdrift, her cheeks heating a little as she looked up into his eyes.

"I love you so much Mysterie." Her voice was a little strained from her earlier crying, but she still spoke.

"I love you more than anything in this world." Jack slid his hand through her hair as he kissed her, shifting a little to slide his other hand along her back.

"Ahem... Jack." Jack turned in surprise at the voice, it was North who had spoken; all of the Guardians were there as well as a very angry Jamie. Jack hugged Mysterie close, ignoring the glare that Jamie was sending towards her. Mysterie flinched at the anger from the boy, not meeting his eyes out of shame; she didn't say a word, what could she say? She knew good and well there was no justifying what she'd done... Jack stuck out his tongue at the boy, who did the same and for a moment no one said anything as they watched this "funny-face" war for a moment until Bunny moved to lightly cuff Jack upside the head.

"Oi, what you doin' here mate?"

"I came here to stay with one I love, you gotta problem with that then go whine to MiM." Jack replied while the moon seemed to shine slightly brighter in the darkening sky as if to say 'don't bring me into this Jack!'

"Don't worry." Jack murmured to Mysterie, trying to comfort her before turning back to them.

"Why are guys here? Come to lock her up again like some animal?!" He snarled and the wind seemed to pick up, the temperature dropping; Jamie shivered and Bunny moved to hug the boy close to him to share his warmth with the youth. Mysterie mumbled something that sounded a lot like "sorry" before she seemed to burst into sand particles that quickly snaked through the night air and disappeared.

"JACK STOP THIS! SHE'S NOT WORTH IT MATE! SHE SAID SO HERSELF!" Bunny cried, trying to get him to see reason but Jack only snarled as the Pooka's words just seemed to make things worse. The snow began falling in a small blizzard around them that continued to grow.

'SHUT UP! I LOVE HER1 SHE IS THE SWEETEST, MOST KINDEST PERSON I HAVE EVER MET AND SHE UNDERSTANDS HOW I FEEL MORE THAN ANY OF YOU!" Jamie stared, tears pouring down his face but he kept silent. There was such rage and sorrow in his friend, something he didn't and couldn't understand because he hadn't spent 300 years all alone, he had always had friends, someone to take care of him and show him love... He would never be able to fully understand the pain that was locked inside Jack's heart; the same pain that had led to anger and Jakul's creation inside of him long before the boy had even met him.

The sand form she'd taken let her weave through the blizzard and away from the anger from the youth that she knew she rightfully deserved and the uneasy stares she had felt from all but one of the other Guardians aside from Jack... She could only run and hide. She felt like crying again, but it was forestalled when she felt more than saw the danger and ducked in time to miss being pelted by several rocks when she'd returned to her normal form. When she turned she found herself facing five satyrs and their leader... Pan. She nearly groaned as they tossed spears and rocks at her and she ran as they chased her from the small park she'd stopped at and into the streets of the city. Unseen, she ran into the street... that was a mistake as her pursuers were more cautious and paused at the side walk's edge as traffic zoomed by, but she'd only a second's warning of headlights catching her eye before the vehicle slammed into her; it sent her sprawling but the humans inside had no idea they'd even hit anything even as she was flung into the opposite lane and smacked by another vehicle. By the time she made it to the other side of the street she was limping and one arm had been twisted at an angle it really should be... Oh gods it was painful... but she had to get away... She kept running, despite that it felt like every part of her body was on fire. Jack was furious that a mere look from his fellow Guardians had made Mysterie leave.

"You know what, I'm done. Don't come bothering me again because the only time you're going to see me is when I make a snow day!" He glared at the group before taking off. Sandy followed behind him immediately, hoping to catch him again and talk some sense into the angry spirit. Sandy wasn't even sure why the others had insisted on bringing Jamie with them; this wasn't exactly a matter to be handled by a child. Even if the boy was special, and not just to Jack. When Jack took off he could only follow; he understood too well what Jack was likely thinking, but unlike the others he could only feel pity for Jack - knowing too well how it must hurt to know that someone he loved was so despised by others, particularly those he called friends, because of the monster she could be. Jack flew towards Antarctica, he was half way there when the wind throttled him, trying to get him to go back. He wasn't having none of that though, there was no way he was going back to them!

"STOP IT! Let me go, please! I want to be alone for once." The wind whipped his hair gently in apology and sadness as Jack flew on to the black ice spire that had been made three years ago when he'd fought Pitch. He sighed, sitting in the hollow of it, his back against it as he brought his knees up to it and buried his face in his arms. Sandy had barely managed to keep from being blown away by the wind, if only just, when it had buffed Jack. When the winter spirit finally settle back down to the ground he floated down to settle next to him. His sand floating above his head. A gentle, concerned look on his face.

Jack?

Mysterie kept running, hissing in pain between pants as she had lost the satyrs but now she had to deal with a trio of nymphs who tossed rocks at her and were trying to wrap water around her head to suffocate her. She had to hold back her tears to keep from being suffocated by them as well. She cried out as she tripped over a tree root that an earth spirit raised and it's only a moment's delay in her flight, but it's enough and the four spirits descend on her like a pack of ravenous wolves. Jack didn't notice Sandy, sensing the pain Mysterie was in his eyes instantly turn into pools of blackness as he snarls and shoots into the air, leaving the little Guardian to stare after him in startled confusion as Jack takes off as fast as he can to her location; following the sense of pain that gets stronger with each passing moment. Mysterie can sense that Jack has felt her pain and that he is coming, she also knows from his emotions that he is out for blood...

"Any last words?" The earth spirit sneers at her; she opens her mouth and the reply is a whisper that is harsh from the pain that they had inflicted on her.

"Run..." It wasn't just Jack they had to worry about, the four stared at her a moment in confusion before laughing and a blow to the head knocked her senseless. The world around her went dark, but her body was still conscious and a sadistic smile touched her bloodied lips as Shadow emerged.

**"Time to play..."** She sang out and the spirits began to feel fear as black sand sent them flying in all directions...


	8. Shared Desires

When Jack reached the spot all he saw was her, there didn't seem to be any other spirits around.

"M-mysterie, are you okay?" He asked, fear for her evident in his eyes.

"Did they hurt you? I swear they will never see the light of day again if they did." His black eyes return back to their normal icy blue once he'd finished speaking, his anger fading.

**"Do you honestly think I'd let some mongrels kill us Jackie?"** Shadow smirked, learning up against a nearby tree as black sand tended to her wounds. Jack halted in his steps as pure fear and anger flowed from him towards Shadow; his voice was but a whisper.

"This is your fault she's like this." His bangs hung in front of his face as he stared at her, giving it a shadowed look as he glared at her.

**"So sue me. You can't say she didn't try to warn you."** She would have shrugged except that the black sand is resetting one shoulder and tending to a gash in the other.

**"I have the Moon to thank for my continued existence. Sadistic bastard that he is. Playing nice one minute and the next..." **Jack looked up at the moon with a glare. He could only agree with that since he had never spoken with him for 300 years.

"So at least he made things right for her with me, at least for a moment." Jack sighed.

"I wish Jakul and you would just leave us alone."

**"I wouldn't say that. As you said... she wouldn't be seen with a monster without me and I owe that to HIM..."**

"Whatever, just leave her alone for a while. You and I both know she and I've had enough!" Jack snarled, frost blew the sand away and scattered it, reopening the wounds the sand was trying to heal; they begin to bleed freely again.

"Now. Let. Her. Go." Jack growled as his control on Jakul began to slip again.

**"Not yet. You and I have some unfinished business..."** She replied as the sand regrouped and closed the wounds, it also curled around Jack's wrists, binding him.

"Huh?!" He struggled vigorously against the bonds.

"Ohh, I've been waiting too long for this!" Jakul yelled in Jack's head in glee.

"No, please let me go." Jack said, eyes widening as he began to understand and could barely believe that he'd already started begging; she hadn't even done anything yet.

**"Relax Frost, I'm not going to hurt you. I could never do THAT... she'd never let me." **She smiled a little, pulling the shadows and sand around the two of them to hide them as she slowly stood; eyes gleaming as she moved towards Jack, directing the sand to yank him to her before she slid her hands beneath the blue hoodie, amber eyes aglow with lust as she lightly caressed his skin. Jack turned his head, suppressing any sound as he made his body stiffen against the touch.

"Stop." He growled sternly. She chuckled softly before murmuring seductively.

**"Or what?" **She skimmed her hands up along Jack's chest, ghosting along his skin before lightly brushing her palms against the cool buds of his nipples. He bit his lip to keep from letting out a moan.

"Or you won't see the light of day again." He growled, his eyes glowing a brighter blue than usual as he pulled his body away from her touch as far as he could. She chuckled softly.

**"Are you saying you'd risk hurting her? ... Some how I don't believe you Jackie..." **She spun the two of them about to pin Jack against the tree she'd been leaning against moments before when the sand had been tending to her wounds, she pressed close.

**"After all... I think we both know if you really didn't want this from us you'd have already stopped it..."** She smirked, her fingers lightly caressing his nipples gently. Jack bit his lip until it was crimson from blood, not able to stifle the whimper that escapes him even as he glares at Shadow with the coldest of glares.

"Let me go, this isn't what she would want and you know it." He struggled against the sand.

"I do not want this."

**"So sure of that are you?" **She said with a purr in her voice.

**"What makes you think she isn't watching now? That she isn't an audience? After all... I know Jakul is watching... he's been dying for this ever since I hinted at it..."** She skimmed her nails lightly along Jack's skin, down his chest and along his stomach. Jack couldn't stop the moan that escaped him as her nails skimmed over his sensitive stomach. He closed his eyes, trying his best to not look at her.

"She knows I love her and knows I would never have this with you!" He growled, losing some control as Jakul moaned and groaned in his head.

"Shut up Jakul!" He snickered.

"Why don't you enjoy it Jack? She'll take real good care of ya. She's still your Mysterie, just better." He struggled, kicking at her. She let out a soft grunt at being kicked, but didn't let it stop her.

"If you're so worried about this Jackie... you can always just let Jakul out to play with me..." She smiled softly, skimming her nails along the hem of his pants teasingly, her eyes bright with pleasure from the sounds of pleasure from Jakul and Jack. Jack sucked in a breath, lost as he groaned in pleasure at the contact.

"L-like I w-would ever l-let that happen." He stutters, Jakul chuckles.

"Come on Jack, let me out... I wanna play!"

"No!" Jack struggled, trying again to pull his body as far away from her as the bonds would allow; which wasn't more than an inch or so... not very far. Shadow continued to caress him teasingly.

**"Well... then sit back and enjoy it. It was her idea, after all, that you two switch. She said it was up to you."** She skimmed her free hand down along his left thigh, black sand swirling about to slide over his torso and legs; pinning him effectively to the tree to keep him from kicking her again or doing anything else that might come to mind.

**"I am a person of my word Jack... evil I may be, but even Jakul knows about the honor of evil... I won't hurt you. Not in the smallest way." **Jack looked at her with a deer-in-headlights look.

"P-p-please s-stop n-n-now." Jack stuttered with far. Shadow purred.

**"Just relax... I promise you won't regret it." **

000000000

**"I think I have a better idea... After all, you did say you trusted her..."** She shifted to stand, her eyes meeting his; a bright amber for a moment before the amber slowly fades until it's gone completely. Mysterie is silent a moment, lightly running a hand through his hair before speaking quietly, her eyes darker than normal.

"I promise she will never hurt you."

"M-mysterie." Jack stammered, meeting her eyes; his own bright with unshed tears at seeing her again as he shifts to lean into the gentle touch. She gentle wipes away the tears that fall.

"She didn't lie Jack." She pressed a hesitant kiss to his lips, as if uncertain now. More tears spilled over, clinking like glass as they froze and fell to the ground; Jack began to shake and managed between quiet sobs.

"Mysterie, I know you wouldn't but Jakul would..." He sobbed harder, feeling helpless in that he couldn't do the same. He couldn't simply switch so easily as she seemed to be able to do.

"I can't get it to stop every time I get angry... I can't stop." She gently wiped away his tears.

"I know Jack... just as I cannot." She said as she ghosted her fingers along his hips.

"I can only help you forget about it momentarily... just as you help me forget." Jack's sobs became hiccups as his tense body begins to relax.

"I love you Mysterie. I would like to forget, at least for one night."

000000

**"See? didn't I say it would only take the right motivation?" **Jakul nodded a little, snickering but Jack ignored it; he felt drowsy, managing to murmur a "what the" before Shadow took control again with an evil, pleased smile. The cuffs around his wrists disappeared, but the wall of sand that she'd had create a dome around the two of them of privacy's sake stayed up. There is a rap on the dome, causing her to almost grin.

**"Interesting timing Sandman!" **She calls out. On the other side of the black sand dome Sandy crossed his arms.

"Where is Jack?" North called, the other Guardians were there too and they were ready for a fight. Bunny tapped his foot impatiently, waiting to see if the black dome would come down.

"If you hurt one hair on his head..." Tooth began. Shadow kept the shield up, giving Jack time to recover and make himself decent. Though she can't help but nearly fall over laughing, her laughter ringing through the air.

**"Hurt Jack?"** She asked once her laughter had died down.

**"Oh my dear Toothiana... Save your breath. I am the guardian of Wishes... dark or otherwise, but that doesn't mean I could ever hurt Jack... and why would I want to?"**


	9. Spell

Jack let out a gasp when he realized the Guardians were just on the other side of the dome. He wished they'd leave the two of them alone for once as he managed to make himself decent. Only then did the sand dome around them come down and Shadow smirked at the group as they glared at her. She lightly caressed Jack's cheek with one hand before dissolving into sand and leaving; Jack leaned into the touch even as she left. Tooth immediately tackled Jack, almost sending the two of them sprawling in the snow.

"JACK! DID SHE HURT YOU? OH MY GOSH WHY ARE YOUR WRISTS BLEEDING?! DID SHE RAPE YOU?!" Beyond irritated at the fairy he slammed his staff against the ground, sending an icy blast of wind out that nearly bowled her over. He'd had enough of this nonsense from them.

"I'm fine, she would _never_ harm me! I'm bleeding because I scratched them on a branch and she would _never_ do that!" He growled. Bunny hopped over to him, eyes narrowed.

"I think you need to get your priorities straight mate. Especially that Jakul of yours." Jack growled.

"Maybe you should but out of my life!" The others moved to grab Jack before he could lunge at the Pooka, wanting to kill the Pooka then and there. They knocked his staff from his gip so he couldn't use it against any of them. After a brief struggled Sandy had to knock Jack out before they could get him to the sleigh to take him back to the pole. Sandy opted to follow Shadow's trail than to follow the others back to North's workshop. He easily picks up the trail of sand and when he finds her it's Mysterie who's in control. He crosses his arms when he sees her lounging on one of the park's benches. Letters floating above his head instead of the usual symbols:

Did you rape Jack?

Mysterie gaped at the little Guardian in horror before her jaw snapped shut and she glared at him.

"I might not always be in control but I would _never_..." She hissed.

"I thought you were the smart one. Why would I have even a need to force from him what he freely offers?!" Sandy nodded a little at that and relaxed:

My apologies... I just wanted to make sure. You should come with me, back to the pole and prove this to the other Guardians.

She snorted.

"Hell no. They're only slightly better than the spirits who would see me dead for what happened to Jamie!" She didn't really blame them for that, after all, they were close to the boy, which was why he'd been Shadow's target.

Jack woke up hours later in his room at the workshop. This time, however, he noticed that there was a barrier to keep him in the room and bars on the window to keep him from escaping that route.

"No, not again... I can't... I don't want to be alone. I can't be without her..." Darkness stirred within him that the turbulent thoughts of being locked away from his love. Mysterie jolted as she could sense the darkness rising and she growled.

"P-please... I don't want to be alone. You don't know what it's like to be alone where no one loves or understands you." Jack cried, whimpering as he buried his face into his arms as he sat on the bed. Jakul could feel his pain and he fed on it, but at the same time felt guilty.

"Those fools..." She left Sandy wondering what she meant as she took off for the North Pole. It took her a couple of hours to reach the place, but once she was there she dissolved into sand to slip past the bars on the window and into the room, by passing the defenses meant to keep Jack in. She reformed quickly, as fast as possible as she wanted to prevent what she knew would happen if she didn't do something. Sandy had watched her go and decided, as he followed, that he wouldn't interfere with whatever she meant to do this time nor would he alert the others. He had a bad feeling about all this; whatever Jack's relationship with her was, she seemed to be the only thing that was keeping him in check now.

"Ah, come on kid, it's gonna be okay. Just, you know... buck up or let me take control for a little while so you won't feel alone." Jack slowly looked up, tears frozen to his face, he almost thought of saying yes until he saw Mysterie materialize, but he dismissed what he saw, thinking only it to be a trick of his mind. She moved over to him, murmuring quietly.

"We have to keep quiet. I don't think Sandy will rat me out but the others..." She settled on the bed and wrapped her arms around him, sighing softly; it had only been a couple of hours since she had last seen him but she had missed him terribly. Jack simply cries harder from the contact, unsure if it was North's magic or simply his imagination that had put her there.

"Please make it stop, I don't wanna be a monster anymore... I'm tired of being a monster to everyone." He clung to her like a lifeline, as if she'd disappear if he let her go for even a moment. Sandy appeared in the room, giving Mysterie a look of sympathy and a slight smile towards her to show that he had finally accepted she meant no harm before he left to return to his own duties as a Guardian. Mysterie held him close, her voice quiet.

"Shhhh, you're not a monster love. I promise." She gently ran one hand along his back to comfort, he clinched her tighter as he felt himself falling into an abyss of fear. He felt as if he was choking in black water that he couldn't surface from; his eyes shifted to black pools as he was dragged under by the darkness again. Tears still slipped from his eyes despite that Jack was no longer in control.

"I thought if I took control for a little while he wouldn't feel as much pain." Mysterie shook her head sadly as she met his eyes.

"The Darkness doesn't work that way."

"Well, at least he doesn't feel as much." Jakul replied, knowing that she was right even as he retreated in Jack's mind as Jack gasped for air, having felt like he'd been swallowing black sludge for the past five minutes. He reached out and touched her face to see if she was real or not, as if doubting what he saw.

"M-mysterie?" He gasped again for air before hugging her close and sobbing against the soft gray tone shirt.

"W-what's wrong w-w-with me?" She grimaced at the question he stuttered out.

"Nothing love, but you are still so pure that the invasion of darkness from your past exacts a toll..."

"I-I don't wanna be like t-this anymore! It h-hurts!" Jack ducked his head, pressing his face into the black skirt; not wanting to have the luxury of looking at her beauty.

_You don't deserve it._ The darkness whispered in his head, but this time it isn't Jakul. _I can't live like this... all I'm doing is hurting her._ Jack thinks to himself as he clings to her. _But if I end it... maybe she'll only hurt for a little bit and get over me._ He mulled this over, unaware that Shadow had heard the thought through the connection. Shadow snorted at Jack.

**"Yeah... think THAT if you think it will make you feel better... But consider this frostbite, she doesn't have believers and every blooming spirit ever made to this date hates her guts... you wanna die, fine, but it'd be a kindness to kill her first."** She scoffed a little, as if unable to believe she'd just said as much. Mysterie tries to ignore her darker half as she threads her fingers through Jack's hair, murmuring soft reassurances; wishing that there was something she could do.. but knowing that there wasn't without scarring Jack permanently and she couldn't bring herself to do that; she'd already done far too much damage as it was.

Jack sighed, still wanting to die, but realizing that he couldn't do it. After a moment he realized something else.

"M-mysterie... did y-y-you hear what Shadow said?" He felt tears spring to his eyes but he dashed them away before they could fall.

"I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS! I'M ONLY HURTING THE PEOPLE I LOVE, ESPECIALLY YOU!" He cringed at his own outburst and pulled away from her. Mysterie looked at him, he didn't meet her gaze; she spoke quietly.

"I did... but she spoke true. Much as she would not care... she needs me as much as Jakul needs you. She is a part of me and shares my thoughts, my desires... I don't want to be without you... I... I couldn't survive if you were gone. What reason would I have to exist? Yes, it does hurt me to see you in pain, but... love is a double edged sword... it always has been."

"I just want it to go away." Jack gasps as the darkness surges through him, trying to break him.

"S-STOP IT." Jack groaned, holding his stomach as his eyes slowly turn darker as more time passes; this time they aren't going back to the normal ice blue.

"Please... Mysterie... kill me, it will end our misery if you do... p-please."

"Get the Guardians now. I can see what he's thinking of doing and it's not pretty, or at least force him to sleep. He's going to stab himself multiple times if you don't and I don't feel like being stabbed." Jakul says, a whimper in his tone; which is really out of character for him.

"Can't say I blame you Jakul." She murmurs and gently grasps Jack's head, pressing her forehead to his; gold sand mingles with silver and forces Jack to sleep. He fought the sand's influence for a little while.

"N-no... I can't... p-please just end the suffering..." Jack fell limp in her arms. She held him close, nuzzling against him as she whispered quietly.

"I can't... I can't kill..." As she murmured those words Sandy floated into the room from the window, by passing the bars as she had done before. He looked at the two, alarms showing in the sand above him and he gave her a look that seemed to ask several things at once 'what's wrong? what happened to jack? did he attack again?' His eyes fell on the sleeping Jack, worry in his golden eyes. The other Guardians could be heard talking as they came up the stairs to see how Jack was fairing. Sandy suddenly turned to Mysterie:

Quickly! Hide!

Mysterie shook her head sadly, even though she knew the little Guardian meant well.

"What good would hiding do? I can't run from them forever... and with Jack as he is... if..." She struggled to continue.

"If he's gone... what would be the point?" A single tear slid down her cheek as she held the winter spirit close, whispering, almost not loud enough to be heard as the door swung open.

"He is my life... if anything happens to him... I wouldn't be able to live." The group stares at the scene before them in shock, North is the first to recover and he glares at Sandy for letting Mysterie near their comrade even as Jack whimpers in pain in his forced sleep.

"Good news. I've found something that bring Jack back to normal. Well as Mysterie, but have to know if you are willing to try." His gaze shifted from Jack to her. She nodded, her eyes sadly pleading when she met his.

"I fear that if we don't try then things will be worse... North... I am not reason enough for him to live anymore..." North sighed.

"Come then Mysterie. Come with me, we might need help gathering items for it to work. Will be snap since he is weakened. Items needed are tear from boogeyman, phoenix feather, hair of athena, pure holy water, loved ones." He said as she lay Jack gently on the bed again, tucking him in before turning back to the group, the others strangely silent.

"I know lot to get, but is old spell for purifying dark." He held out a book to her and Mysterie took it in her hands, there was a picture of a boy that seemed to have the dark shadows being pulled out of him as women hugged him, candles near the boy were lit with a goblet nearby that seemed to contain the other ingredients needed while the women seemed to represent loved ones.

"Strange thing, not my style of spell, but is that or let him suffer." She thought a moment over the spell, but nodded. There wasn't an option.

"I can help with some of that... the first will be easy, but the others..." She shook her head a little.

"I do not know how I could obtain the rest with the spirits out there more than willing to do more than just tan my hide." The Guardian of Wonder nodded a little.

"First two easy, we get tear from Pitch and phoenix is mailer. He brings mail from children and wouldn't mind giving up feather or two. Athena not so much, best prepare for battle. Can be nasty when comes to her hair. Bunny knows where to find holy water and you are loved one, besides Jamie and us." The Guardians and Mysterie split up into teams to fetch the items that would be needed. North set off in the sleigh to fetch athena's hair, Sandy and Tooth waited for the phoenix to show up to collect the feather while Bunny and Mysterie set off to collect the water. Not long after they had left, the phoenix showed up.

" 'ello Tooth, Sandy. Nice seein' ya here." Sandy began instantly telling the bird what it was they needed before it could fly off again after having set down a sack of letters. It nodded and plucked three feathers from its body and handed them to Sandy.

"Hope Jack gets better. See ya... oh! For I forget, this came for Jack from a Jamie." The bird handed over the envelope.

"I'm sure he'll be happy it came in." Tooth said with a smile and the bird nodded before departing.


	10. What Needs Be Done

Mysterie followed Bunny, hoping that the Pooka knew where he was going as she didn't even have an idea as to where to start looking for the fabled fountain that would have the water they sought. It wasn't so much a fountain as a marble thing that most people tended to think, but a pool of water that was crystal clear, hidden in a forest. Bunny sniffed the air as they approached it.

"Wait, mate. Don't move, something's not right here." The Pooka halted where he was as did Mysterie. Before either could react, a water golem rose from the pond and smacked Bunny to one side, it was made of the holy water they sought and it snarled at her. A whispery voice came from the creature before her.

"You are not worthy of the sssacred holy water. We can sssssenssse your impurity. It issss our water that you ssseek. Come back when you're pure again." Mysterie quivered where she stood, but it wasn't from fear as much as trying to hold herself together so she didn't break into sobs from the golem's words.

"It's not for me... It's for the one who is pure..." She choked a little on the words before going on.

"I will never be pure enough... never worthy... but he is.. He is worth it... if I have to spill blood to do so then so be it..." The creature studied her a moment.

"You speak of truth. Where is the pure hearted child you speak of? I will only allow one bottle for the one who is pure and deserves it." The creature extracted a bubble of water from nearby and turned to Bunny who was recovering from the unexpected blow.

"Bunny, you are purest. You hold the water. It cannot be tainted by darkness." Bunny nodded and took the water orb, smiling a little as he put it in one of the pouches on his bandolier.

"Let's go help the others mate." Mysterie gave a ghost of a smile to the Pooka before turning from the area with a sigh; knowing too well she will never be free of the demons within her, but she had resigned herself to her fate long before she had even met Jack. She followed the Pooka away from the water and its golem guardian with a heavy heart.

"Lady Athena, only wish to have piece of hair to cleanse friend." North said, kneeling before the goddess to try and negotiate with her to get at least a small lock for the spell. Tooth and Sandy had joined him after getting the feathers from the phoenix.

"Who be your friend Guardians?" The goddess asked, her voice as soft as silk, her beautiful hair was a chocolate brown that fell to the floor in a braid, her clothes were the white dress of ancient romans; silver owl earnings dangled at her ears, a plate of silver draped her neck, wrists and ankles. Her eyes were like the storm clouds during a rainy season.

"We wish to use your hair to heal Jackson Overland Frost." The goddess seemed to contemplate this a moment.

"Jackson... oh him. Of course, he helped me get a friend back. Anything for him, I owe him but he never took anything in return for helping me." She snapped her fingers and bird-like scissors appeared in her hand and she cut a long lock of her hair. Handing it over to them.

"Fare thee well Guardians and tell Jack I wish him well." They smiled and nodded as they left; regrouping back at the pole to see Bunny and Mysterie were there.

"Bunny, Mysterie. How was holy water hunt?" North asked.

"Successful enough to cure Jack." Mysterie replied before Bunny could. She turned towards the Pooka to give him a look that had him clamping his mouth shut before he could say anything. She didn't want him revealing that they didn't have enough to perform the spell more than once. There was only enough to cure Jack, as she'd mentioned and yet not in a way she thought that anyone but Bunny would realize what she had meant. North nodded, a grim look fleetingly passing over his features and made her wonder if he'd caught her meaning.

"Give me a moment and we'll have the last ingredient." She vanished into the air in a burst of sand; several minutes ticked by before she returned with a small vial with the last ingredient. Meanwhile, Jack had awoken from the grip of forced sleep from Mysterie's sand and his mind was being assaulted, he hiccuped, the room had become a frozen winter wonderland in a matter of minutes as he smashed some of the furniture in his anger before curling up into a ball to try and escape the darkness but it was no use.

"P-please s-stop." He whimpered.

"You're worthless, you can't even protect her or the children. You're a monster." The dark voice said.

"SHUT UP!" Jack cried harshly, the wind pounded against the windows as the blizzard outside the workshop reflected his emotions.

"Perfect! We have all. While Sandy is making potion we see how Jack is doing, no?" North said, but no sooner had he spoken the words then an explosion echoed through the area and shook the building.

"Quickly! Jack might have given in for moment!" The group rushed towards Jack's room.

"They'll never accept you. Stop resisting and let it take over. The more you fight it the more pain you'll get. I mean no one but Jamie believes in you... Well I think now he doesn't, not after you yelled and attacked him, raped him... So I think he's done with you, they all are." That was it and Jack snapped, an explosion of ice and cold shooting out from him.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" The winds whipped franticly and shook the shop, shattering all of the windows, icing the walls, causing everything around hm to be frozen. Mysterie just barely managed to withstand the sudden freezing attack; ignoring the mess that he'd made of the room she struggled agains the wind that was now blowing around Jack as she tried to get close to him. Jack covered his ears as if to block out the terrible, insecure whispers from his past and his own thoughts.

"STOP! I'M NOT A MONSTER!" Mysterie struggled a bit more to reach him; wrapping her arms around him and shirring from the icy cold but she didn't pull back. Jack struggled in her grasp, thinking that something was attacking him but wouldn't let go.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO! PLEASE LET ME GO!" The wind reacted and grew worse by the second, Sandy couldn't even mange to get a single sand ball close to knock Jack out as the wind was to harsh. Mysterie didn't let go, instead she pressed her forehead to his to knock him out a second time with her dream sand before she looked at the others.

"Let's get this over with before he comes to."


	11. In the Name of Love

As North picks up Jack's limp form Mysterie watches in silence as the elder Guardian moved down stairs. The trip was to a room that she hadn't seen before mostly because it was locked by magic and she really hadn't spent time exploring the lower levels of this place yet; not that she'd had time to do much exploring. Although it was a strange thing, even in her mind, she couldn't help but be reminded of a song she'd once heard in her youth. It was a good song really and as it played in her mind she couldn't help but think that it really should be reversed...

_Boy: Good little girl, always picking a fight with me._

_You know that I'm bad, but you're spending the night with me._

_What do you want from my world? You're a good little girl._

_Girl: Bad little boy, that's what you're acting like._

_I really don't buy that you're that kind of guy._

_And if you are… why do you want to hang out with me?_

_Boy: Don't you know I'm a villain?_

_Every night I'm out killin', sendin' everyone runnin' like children._

_I know why you're mad at me._

_I've got demon eyes and they're lookin' right through your anatomy, into your deepest fears._

_Baby, I'm not from here. I'm from the Nightosphere._

_To me you're clear, transparent. You've got a thing for me girl. It's apparent._

_Background: OH OH! I got a hot potata! And I got two hot tomata's!_

_That make a good sauce maybe, so I'll shake my bottle baby._

_I'll shake it and shake it and shake it and shake it and shake it all over._

_Girl: You know you're not so bad._

_Marshall Lee: Not so bad? I'm the son of a demon and the vampire king..._

_That's not something I have to try at._

_You on the other hand..._

_Background: ... The table! For as long as I am able._

_Girl:I'm not trying to be bad. I'm hanging out with you because you're my friend._

_Boy: What, like him?_

_Girl: No, different_

_Boy: Did you think I was lying?_

_I said I'm evil without even trying_

_Already dead so I'm not scared of dying_

_Drinking the red from your heart in one sitting_

_You think you've got me pegged_

_You must be kidding_

_I raise the dead up and they do my bidding_

_Girl, I'm a thousand years old_

_I'm a riddle_

_Bad little boy_

_Yes I'm bad,_

_But I'm not little_

As amusing as the song was... well, Jack wouldn't fit the part of the boy at all... no, that role went to her. In fact... her mind, perhaps because of the stress of what they were about to do and all she had to deal with recently, began to rearrange the song so that it fit them a little better... It had been a hobby of hers, when she'd been alive, to put music to things in her life and sometimes to the stories she'd indulged in... She really needed to finish some of the stories she'd left behind... at least for the sake of those who read her work; sparse as it was. None of the others noticed, as they followed North down the stairs, that she was softly humming the tune while reworking the song to come up with the following:

Girl: Good little boy, always following right behind me.

You that I'm bad, but you're spending the night with me.

What do you want from my world?

You're a good little boy.

Boy: Bad little girl, that's what you say you are.

I really don't buy that you're that kind of girl.

And if you are... why do want to hang out with me?

Girl: Don't you know to the world I'm a villain?

Every time I go out, they scream and run away like

children.

I know why you're made at me.

I can feel it in you, as if I could look right through your

anatomy, into your deepest fears.

Don't you know, baby, I'm not from around here?

To me you're clear, transparent even.

You've got a thing for me boy.

It's apparent.

Background: I gotta hot potato and two tomatoes!

That make a goo sauce, so I'll shake my bottle baby.

I'll shake it and shake it and shake it and shake it and shake it all over

Boy: You know, you're not so bad.

Girl: Not so bad? I'm a mortal whose powers are both dark and light.

It's not something I have to try hard at. You on the other hand...

Background: ... the table! For as long as I'm able.

Boy: I'm not trying to be bad. I'm hanging out with you because you're my friend.

Girl: What, like him?

Boy: No, different.

Girl: Did you think I was lying?

I said I could be evil, without even trying

Now that I'm dead, I'm not scared of dying

Drinking in all the world has to offer

You think you've got me pegged

You must be joking

I raise nightmares up and they do my bidding

Boy, my soul is like a storm cloud

I'm a riddle

Bad little girl

Yes I'm bad,

But I'm not little

The room North led them to had almost nothing in it save for a chair with chains on it that he'd prepared in advance in the middle of a big circle with the signs of the Guardians around it and a symbol of power and purity. North made sure Jack was as comfortable as possible. Sandy lit the candles that each represented them, four candles in all, before handing a goblet to Mysterie, it held the ingredients. Sandy's symbols flashed slowly so that she could read them, she wasn't fluent with his speech but she understood him well enough.

_Give Jack the ingredients. It won't work if he doesn't drink it._ Bunny sat by the symbol of a tulip, North had taken up position by the symbol of a present, Tooth by a symbol of a Tooth and Sandy grabbed the spell book before he took up his position by the symbol of a cloud with swirls of sand in it. Mysterie looked at the cup a moment before moving over to Jack's still form and with her free hand she gently tipped his head back, working with infinite care to open his mouth and pour the liquid into his mouth; lightly stroking his throat to encourage the reflex to swallow. She only stepped back to stand outside the circle once the goblet was empty. She looked over to North, waiting to see what needed to happen next. She set the goblet out of the way, against a wall; never really taking her eyes off the group. The lights in the room went out, leaving only the candles to dimly light the room as Sandy's sand wrote the words from the book:

_Cleanse the wicked one_

_Find the light to brighten his soul_

_Clean the one that is shadow from her heart_

They repeated the words, making a chant of it and Jack stirred as pain shot through him. Jack struggled, breathing heavily as pain lanced through him. He only wanted it to go away, but the others only continued the chant they had began, drawing the words out and increasing the volume of it. Mysterie stood just watching and waiting; unable to do anything more. Jack groaned in pain as the dark shadows seemed to be sucked out of him.

"S-stop... it hurts!" He whimpered as the pain intensified. He growled as Jakul was slowly pulled out along with the shadows of desire.

"NO! STOP IT!" Jack cried out.

"STOP!" Despite his cries, the Guardians didn't stop the chant they'd taken up. Mysterie bit her lip a little, watching; the sound of his whimper of pain sent a chill through her. Jack growled as the darkness slid up along the chains, the metal strains to keep him there but there is a deafening snap and the chains fall away; his eyes were pools of black as the shadows surrounded him. Jack ran forward, his eyes bright with the desire to kill only to smack into a field of protection that the circle provided. Sandy pulled Mysterie away from the field, his sand writing quickly even as he keeps up the chant.

_It is for his own good. Do not worry, he can't break free of the protection because his evil is being pulled out of him as we speak._

Jack roared in frustration, trying to get away from the pain.

"LET ME OUT! PLEASE SANDMAN! GUYS STOP!" Jack cried, but he no longer sounded like the Jack they knew and cared about as he yelled threats of killing and other deadly promises as he fell to the ground, curling up in a ball of pain as a shadowed figure with red eyes was forced from Jack, but it wasn't fully leaving. Instead it still had one foot firmly planted in Jack, it laughed darkly as the Guardians ended their chanting prayer and gasped, seeing that it hadn't worked like they had hoped. It had only gotten rid of half of the darkness inside Jack.

'WHAT IS THAT THING?!" Bunny cried, the figure turned towards the Pooka, showing sharp fangs, an evil slaughter smile on its face as it shook its finger at all of them as if to say "no, no; he's mine." Mysterie didn't answer Bunny's question, but she knew; she met the figure's gaze.

"Not this time..." She moved forward into the circle, slipping past the protective barrier; she had no idea what she was doing, but she felt compelled to do this... whatever "this" was. The darkness within her reached out a hand from her body towards the other, even as she reached for it. Mysterie took hold of the dark figure and pulled. The figure screeched in pain, grasping at some of Jack's energy to try and hold its grip on Jack who groaned in pain, turning on his side, away from the figure; trying to escape the dark leech but it didn't let go and Jack's breath hitched as she pulled harder and Jack struggled against the pulling, more really against the pain it was causing. She closed her eyes, the darkness within reaching further out and severing the ties to Jack. With the last one the darkness lets out a shrieking laughter as it latches onto Mysterie and she jolts, as if struck, before collapsing in the circle. Jack gasped for air as if he'd surfaced from a pool of water, he looked around with eyes wide with fear. When his gaze landed on Mysterie he dragged himself to her.

"M-mysterie..." He shifted her head onto his lap, lightly stroking her hair.

"I'm so sorry." Tears welled up in his eyes as Sandy moved forward, patting the winter spirit on the back. Bunny sits back, staring in shock and sympathy while North and Tooth each give Jack a hug.

"It will be okay." The Guardian of Wonder murmured, though there was no way he could be certain if it would be; hadn't she lost control of her own darkness several times since she'd become a spirit? How much worse would it be now that she had the burden of Jack's darkness within her? The group had to admit that they had misjudged her heart; if it hadn't been obvious before, it was now that she loved Jack beyond reasonable doubt and that love was pure.


	12. Tick Tock

Mysterie didn't stir through it all, her actions resulting in sending her into a deep slumber. Having recovered from the whole ordeal, Jack picked Mysterie up and followed the others back upstairs; he went to his room and tucked her into bed, hoping that she would wake up soon. He settled next to her, softly sining to her as she slept. The Guardians didn't bother him for once, knowing this was the first time in a while that he had been with her since harboring the darkness that had made him act like a blood thirsty creature. As she slept, the darkness within her grappled for control of her body, but it was more used to Jack's and found that it couldn't find a good hold; especially as such a hold was already held by her own darkness. It hissed in her mind.

"You trrrricked meeee!" It growled at the two.

"Let usssss ouuuuttt!" Mysterie chuckled in her own mind at the darkness which writhed in frustration. She had offered herself to it as a sacrifice, but not as it had desired.

"No." There was no way that she was going to let out the darkness that was Jakul... had been Jakul while in Jack. She preferred to continue to think of the darkness as such. Jack barely managed to finish the song he sang to her, choking on the last words of it as he was unable to hold in his sobs of sorrow. He had never wanted this... He knew too well what Jakul was like, having dealt so long with the other but he would never have wished her to take the darkness that had been in him into herself. He wouldn't wish that darkness on even his enemies, let alone the woman he loved. The sound seemed to penetrate her sleep as she stirred slightly; shifting to turn towards him though she didn't fully wake.

"God... How could I let you do this? Why didn't I just fight it?!" He couldn't stop the tears even when he felt a familiar warmth on his arm. He glanced over to see it was Sandy who held out a mug of cocoa. Jack took the drink, his touch cooling the already cool liquid so that it becomes colder as he couldn't drink anything warm. He tried to smile, but he couldn't when all he could think about was how it was his fault that she had to harbor the evil that had been in him.

"Why wouldn't you guys just kill me like I asked?! Then none of this would have been happening!" Jack growled, he wasn't prepared for the stinging sensation that followed the slap. Jack held one hand to his cheek, his eyes meeting the stern ones of the Sandman who's other hand ruffled his hair in a light caress. Jack just stared, surprised that the silent Guardian had slapped him, but it had shocked him enough to keep him from becoming hysterical. Mysterie stirred again, this time she slowly opened her eyes; taking a slow deep breath that was almost painful as her throat felt like a desert. She stared at the pair of them in silence. Her normally bright green eyes a shade darker than normal, but that seemed to be the only real change. Jack huffed, but then turned at the sound of movement to meet the silent gaze of his love. He wanted to say something, but it was as if his mouth had stopped working and no words came out. The next thing he knew was that he'd closed the distance to kiss her gently, whispering into the kiss.

"You're gonna be okay." Mysterie's lips twitched into a small smile before she returned the kiss.

"I love you so much, you do realize that don't you?!" He hugged her, crying tears and managing to mumble out a thanks to her and the other Guardians for getting the darkness out, but even so there was still a slight tingle of desire in him to end his life. He shook his head a little, as if to dislodge the desire as he could feel Jakul in her stirring and laughing; sensing the remaining desire within him.

"You can't hide it from me Jackie. Let me feed on your desssirrrrreeee of ending your exisssstence." He hissed, aiming his words at Jack though she heard them too. Mysterie ignored the voice, but Shadow did not.

**"Oh put a lid on it."** She grumbled as Mysterie merely held Jack close and wiped away his tears gently. Jack begins to wonder, because he knows that voice and he looked at her, the obvious question in his eyes even as he puts it to words.

"Mysterie, does he talk to you in a hissing voice and constantly asks to feed on me?" Jack was really curious, knowing that the other was a part of her now. She nodded, aware that he'd asked because he could likely still hear it.

"That is how it chooses to speak." She said softly, her throat still dry.

"Can I get something to drink?" Sandy floated out of the room and immediately came back with a glass of cold water... Well, it was cold for sure after Jack took it from the other Guardian and handed it to her.

"Sooooo..." Jack coughed awkwardly, not sure what else to say. Mysterie nodded her thanks to Sandy before draining the cup and settling back against the pillow; she then turned her attention to the Sandman.

"Exactly what did you tell the others Sandy? Because I am a little surprised North didn't toss me in one of his ice cells." Even as she spoke the darkness hissed.

"Please, I need his desire... I need it." Jack groaned, speaking inwardly to the hissing voice.

"Shut your trap stupid." What was he to call it now? Was it still Jakul even when it wasn't in his head beyond when it spoke? Mysterie tossed the "voice" to Shadow to "play" with just to shut the thing up while she waited for an answer from the little Guardian. Sandy shrugged in answer to her question; not exactly knowing why either though he made a picture of the two of them hugging lovingly.

"Oh, so he sees that you love me enough to not hurt me or the others when I'm around." Jack said, translating the images and Sandy nodded.

"Well, I suppose that's reassuring in a way." Jack hugged her, he knew that she'd never harm him and he smirked mischievously before stealing a kiss before she could say anything. She chuckled softly and returned the kiss with a gentle nip at his cool lips, returning his mischief with a bit of her own. Sandy left the room, smiling and blushing like a small child who saw something he shouldn't have. Mysterie noticed this and nearly fell out of the bed in a fit of laughter. Jack chuckled.

"I gotta go make a snowfall in Burgess love, but I'll be back." He left out the window, the wind caressing her hair and a whisper of "thank you" could be heard. Jack made it snow lightly in the room, the snowflakes each containing his magic of Fun. She simply smiled, watching him leave with a bit of possessive delight. She was a little surprised at the feeling though. Well. That's new... Of all that she'd felt for Jack, she'd never felt possessive of him. Jack felt his heart sink a little when he saw that the kids were looking gloomy and upset, but he knew he could fix that.

"I know... How about a Snow Day!" He called to the kids and they laugh in shock and happiness as snow falls all around them. Jack threw a snowball that nailed both the twins and Jamie who seemed to brighten instantly. The boy laughed happily and Jack smiled as his gentle snow piled up around them. Soon everyone was laughing and it was a good hour before he went back to the pole. He could hear Jakul's hissing voice panting in pain; which was a little odd seeing as how Jack had always thought that Jakul gave it, and Jack always felt it from the other, now the shoe was on the other foot it seemed.

"J-Jack... damn it... Hurtssss, that sssstupid Ssssshadow." Jack couldn't help but chuckle.

"She beat you up? Well too bad." Jack laughed, all the spirit of fun and joy in himself had been renewed. While Jack was landing in an open window, Mysterie was listening to Sandy as the little Guardian re-enacted the battle with Pitch three years ago. Ignoring the two voices as she seemed nothing short of amused by the tale from Sandy's point of view. Jack walked through the door.

"I'm back. Oh, am I interrupting something?" Sandy shook his head with a smile, glad that Jack was finally back to being the winter spirit he remembered meeting three years ago.

"I brought some tacos with me. Jamie bought some for the two of us." Jack sighed a little.

"If only he would stop saying you're a bad influence on me." He sighed again.

"It's not like you're gonna cage me and keep me all to yourself." Don't tempt me. She thought, but pushed it away before it have even fully surfaced. She loved Jack too much for that, plus it would be selfish of her and she had never really been the selfish sort. Instead she shook her head.

"I will be lucky to live down what Shadow did to the boy in his lifetime. Especially if he ever learns about this latest thing." She shrugged a little, not seeming to be too troubled over it; she wasn't really, but the memory was still fresh in her mind and still stung to think about what Shadow and Jakul had done and how they had nearly completely ruined the boy and his friendship with Jack. She knew that even if she never lived that incident down, she would at least out live the boy more than likely. Jack put a taco for her on a plate and handed it to her before munching on his ice cold taco; anything that was hot would hurt him, so naturally he made sure he didn't eat or drink anything that was hot. He sighed after a moment.

"Crap, 2:00 in Taiwan. I'll be back." And it was like that for the rest of the day, the other Guardians were surprised that he had become like that, but had begun to worry when Jack began working like clockwork.


	13. Wishes

Confused at this, and worried, North questioned Mysterie about it as she sat in the room the two of them shared in his workshop.

"I know you're worried for him, honestly, I kind of am too. He has been working hard because of the places that didn't get much or no snow with the recent events. He feels guilty about it and I think he's trying to make up for it."

"Is not good reason to work as he has, it's been five years now. No one will remember lack."

"_He_ remembers and it does matter to him, but I think there might be another reason too."

"What reason?" North asked

"Jamie. The boy isn't a child anymore."

"He still believes, surprisingly, why would he be reason for Jack working hard?" She just shook her head.

"I think I know, but it's just a theory for the moment. An intervention might be a good idea at this point." North nodded and called the other Guardians, which was why a few hours later the five of them were standing in Jack's room; Bunny and North were blocking the door while Tooth and Sandy were blocking the window.

"DAMN IT!" Jack cried in frustration, Mysterie stood nearby, arms crossed as she watched the whole thing, not yet having said anything on the matter.

"Mate, you need to rest. You'll burn out if ya keep goin' like this. I know ya feel guilty for bein' away so long, but they look fine now."

"I can't sit around anymore. I have a schedule to keep." Mysterie frowned a little at that, why was he taking this so serious all of the sudden? They were just asking him to relax for one day and he was fighting it like they had asked him to sit still for a dentist appointment.

"Guys, let me go. I got a job to do." He turned to Sandy who shook his head, lightly scolding as his symbols appeared slow enough for Jack to understand that he was being scolded on not getting enough sleep and how it was precious to immortals since it was rare that any of them had the chance with their jobs. Mysterie agreed only partly with the Guardians, she could see that Jack was pushing himself harder than he really needed to and pressed the idea of spending time with Jamie through their bond. Jack sighed only to have it followed by a groan much like one from a great wolf lodge commercial

"I can't hang with Jamie. I got Moscow to visit and an early winter for France on my schedule... I have to go by it!" He yanked a little at a strand of his hair, trying to think of a way to get out of this and get back to his job.

"Geez Frostbite, get it together. You're just putting snow on continents. Let it be for a day or two." Jack narrowed his eyes at Bunny and bonked said Pooka on the head with his staff to show how irritated he was with the Pooka without doing any real harm.

"Oi!" Bunny said, scowling as he rubbed the slightly sore spot on his head. None of them seemed to understand the schedule Jack had set for himself and that only irritated him more. Sandy sighed as Jack began ranting again about how busy he was before he tapped Jack on the shoulder, getting the winter spirit to turn about and pause mid-rant.

"What Sandy?" In answer, the Guardian of Dreams tossed his sand into Jack's face and he collapsed as the others yelled in unison - save Mysterie.

"SANDY!" Sandy hid behind Mysterie who seemed to be the only one who wasn't unhappy with him at the moment and didn't seem to mind that he'd just caused Jack to drop off.

"Mate, we wanted him awake to relax for once so he can leave later... not bloody put him to sleep!" Bunny groaned. Mysterie just sighed a little and gave the little Guardian a reassuring smile before turning back to the others.

"Look, apparently he needs sleep too. We should let him sleep it off, in the mean time... I think I have a teenager to visit." She picked Jack up and tucked him into bed before deciding to risk leaving the pole. She hadn't left the pole in a good long while because the other spirits were still very angry with her and would attack her on sight; she happened to know, thanks to North, that Jamie had temporarily left Burgess to go shopping. Allowing her a rare opportunity to speak to the teen. Jamie sighed as he saw a hoodie that reminded him of Jack due to the fact that it was just the right shade of blue. He pays for the cds he'd picked out and plugged in his iPod, putting in earbuds as he walked toward the food court. He didn't sigh wistfully, but he sure wanted to; he could barely remember the last time he'd seen the winter spirit. Not wanting to startle the teen, particularly since he was in view of the public and knowing that the teen would react badly to her, Mysterie sent out a stream of golden sand over to him; aware that no one but the teenager and maybe a few young believers would see it as it floated in front of the boy:

Care to talk with an old "friend" a while?

Jamie smiled when he saw the sand and followed it as it led him from the mall to a nearby small alleyway; Mysterie stood in the shadows, biting her lip nervously as she saw the boy approach, she knew all too well that she was not who the teen would be expecting nor would he be thrilled to see her considering what had happened five years ago. Jamie froze when he caught sight of her, he hadn't expected her.

"You wanted to talk?" His demeanor changed instantly from cheerful to angry, protective teenager. She shifted a little, obviously uncomfortable, but she nodded anyway.

"When was the last time Jack was with you?" Jamie's eyes went wide a little at the question, wondering instantly why she was asking.

"Um... that was five years ago... That was the last time he really visited me, ever, since then all he's done is give snow... not even stopping to greet me really." The teen hung his head, obviously depressed that he hadn't been able to hang out with Jack.

"I promised him I would never stop believing and I won't." She nodded a little, but at the same time shocked at the length of time.

"I thought as much... Jamie, I think Jack is avoiding you. I think he's afraid of you growing up and forgetting him.. Which is why I came to you. I think I can help... but I can't do it alone... I have the power to grant wishes, which is why you haven't seen me since the night you made yours five years ago... I thought that... perhaps, I could help the two of you if you made a wish." She hesitated a moment, wondering if maybe she could do anything that would come close to trying to make up for what Shadow had done... What she had almost helped Jakul do...

"I have no doubt you hate me for what happened that night... the only thing I can offer is an explanation if you care to hear it, but I leave that decision to you." Jamie blinked, staring at the spirit before him suddenly in a new light; realizing that she hadn't forgotten what had happened and hadn't moved on as if it had been nothing as he'd expected her to. In a way... she was like Jack.

"All I want is for Jack to be happy, but I want him to be happy doing what he loves and being with who he loves." He moved over to her and wrapped his arms around her in a gesture of comfort.

"I am not mad. I was just jealous and I wish Jack to be happy and visit me whenever he feels comfortable." Mysterie could only blink in shock as much at his words as the hug. Never in a million years would she had ever thought the boy would shrug off that incident. It made her feel all the more guilty that Jamie was still so pure, even after that night... that he could forgive her for it, that he would try to offer her comfort.

"Hmmm... That could be a little difficult to pull off... but I think I can manage to nudge him." She replied, becoming thoughtful as the shock began to wear off.

"Wait... you were jealous then? Why?" Jamie sighed, his arms dropping back to his sides.

"Well, he kept going to see you and never seemed to stay long anymore like he used to. I got tired of it and after he was forced to... you know... and I couldn't take it anymore. I just got more and more angry because he never came... Anyway, thanks for your help Mysterie." He waved at her before she could say anything more and headed home with his new cds. Mysterie considered what the boy had said as she watching him leave. A slight smile playing on her lips at the unvoiced wish. After all, what sort of "guardian" of Wishes would she be if she could not hear the most deepest wishes of the heart? It was time that she got to work to seeing that this particular boy got his wises. She set off, fulfilling a few minor wishes in the area while she was at it and without too much thought.


	14. Broken

Jack woke up, unhappy.

"GOD DAMN IT SANDY! Now I'm off time in Cuba!" He growled and got up to go to Cuba, the little Guardian

"Gosh, next time I'll wear a helmet when Sandy tries that..." He opened the window but the wind pushed back against him.

"Oh come ON!"

"Jack stay." It whispered, followed by 'Jack must rest.'

"Wind, come on! Not you too!" Sandy, who was in the next room, sighed at the commotion and his sand slipped beneath the door to float before him spelling out 'Jack get in that bed now or we're tying you down.' Mysterie headed back to the pole, managing to avoid detection from a group of spring spirits who were traveling in the area at the same time that Sandy's message to Jack reformed:

Either that or visit Jamie!

Sandy seemed as irritated as Mysterie felt just then that Jack seemed to be avoiding his believer. When Mysterie arrived at the pole she could sense that Jack was awake and her irritation was loud and clear; the other Guardians could hear it in her tone from where they were in the workshop as she stalked towards Jack's room.

"Jackson!" It was obvious that she wasn't too happy with a certain winter spirit.

"OH SHIT!" The jig was up and he knew it, Jack ran from the window and ducked under the bed to hide from her wrath, though a message from Sandy seemed to think he should do otherwise:

Better now to deal with her than later.

"Shut up Sandy!" Jack whispered to the sand as it disappeared when the door slammed open. She slammed it shut as well.

"Oh don't think you can hide. You have some explaining to do... Don't make me use my magic on you. I'd rather not have to." Jack didn't move from his spot. Shit... Sandy must have snatched my staff earlier... that bastard... Jack shook in fear from Mysterie's wrath but ignored the threat, hoping that she didn't go for the bed immediately though there wasn't really many places in the room he could really hide besides the wardrobe and where he currently was hiding. Mysterie walked around the room, trying to pinpoint his location without actually searching with her eyes. She stood in the middle of the room before deciding that there was only one real place he could hide and crouched down, looking under the bed from where she crouched, scowling slightly.

"Seriously, Jack... come on out."

"NO! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" She sighed, her irritation ebbing a little.

"Jack... this concerns Jamie."

"No! I don't wanna talk about it!" Jack pushed himself deeper under the bed, away from her. Deciding that this was silly, she sent her sand beneath the bed to wrap him in a cocoon and pull him out from under the bed.

"Jack... you can't keep running from this. You know I grant wishes." Jack struggles fruitlessly against the cocoon.

"LET ME OUT!" Jack kicked the inside of the cocoon, sending out his energy to try and free himself only to freeze the cocoon making it harder for him to get out of it. Seeing this, she couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, lassoing the frozen thing with a strand of sand to pull him towards her; most of her irritation was gone now.

"Jack, I understand your fear. I do... but five years? Jack... his wish was to see you. He wants you around... the boy even got jealous of me those years ago. Told me himself." She crossed her arms, but as she shook her head it wasn't in irritation so much as disbelief as she remembered her conversation with the teen.

"You realize that if you don't go see him on your own that my magic will eventually make it impossible for you not to... However indirect it is."

"I don't care what your magic does! I am not going just so Jamie can stop believing in me and so I can end up alone for another 300 years!" Jack struggled against the frozen sand, but all he managed to do was scrape himself up on the sand. Mysterie just stared at him a moment, at first irked by his words before it was overcome by a stab of pain. She stared at him like she'd been struck as his words seeped into her.

"Do you honestly think that about all of us... ?" Her words were almost too soft to be heard. Do you think I would leave you alone after all this time Jack? The thought didn't pass her lips; her chest burning painfully.

"Has it really meant..." She didn't bother finishing, she couldn't... She just couldn't ask if everything she'd done up to this point had meant nothing to him. She was afraid of the answer and at the same time she knew what it was; struggling with the darkness that seemed to surge inside her like a tidal wave. She closed her eyes a moment before managing to gather the strength to get her limbs to listen, to walk out of the room feeling like someone had reached in and yanked out her heart; leaving Jack to free himself from the trap he'd gotten himself into. She brushed past Sandy without a word, the silent Guardian wondering what went wrong and went to the room the younger spirit had just left to see what was up. Jack lay there, ignoring Sandy who was trying to get from him what had happened. All Jack could do was feel guilty for what he'd said and done...

"Mysterie... I'm sorry... I didn't mean that... I don't feel that way with all of you." A question mark appeared over the sand Guardian's head.

"She's right... I have been a total ass Sandy. I'll be back... I've got a believer to visit and a broken heart to fix." Jack thumped the ice against the floor roughly, shattering it and freeing himself. Sandy just looked at Jack questioningly, still not sure what the heck had happened.

Mysterie settled down in a small town in Kansas where it was still night, trying to come to terms with what she was feeling. Having beat back the darkness inside her if only just. It hurt. More than anything... after all these years he still didn't trust that she'd meant it when she'd told him she'd never leave him alone. A familiar voice cackled nearby; within the hour the only thing left in the area to speak of the battle that had gone on was a faint trace of silver and black sand sprinkled over the town; there was simply nothing to be felt by Jack's bond. As if there was nothing being felt, no emotions... as if there were no thoughts... Not even from the darkness inside her. It was just quite simply gone.


	15. Familiar Shadows

Jack hesitantly knocked on Jamie's window, the boy looked up and smiled brightly, thinking that his wish had been granted. He opened the window and hugged Jack as soon as he was inside.

"Jack!" He smiled, a little uneasy because he wasn't used to apologizing.

"Hey. Look, um... about-" Before Jack could finish Jamie cut him off.

"Jack, listen... um... it's okay to be afraid of losing a believer or two, but you know you'll get new ones and I promised didn't I?" Jack nodded as Jamie hugged him again.

"Why don't I get Sophie and we have a snow day?" He asked as he drew back again and Jack couldn't help but smirk.

"Last one's out a rotten egg!" Jack chuckled at the boy's phrasing, feeling like his old self again; he couldn't help thinking that Mysterie was right, he needed to trust Jamie and the Guardians more, he trusted her... Why had he said those hurtful things to her? While Jack was summoning snow for the snow day, Mysterie sat cross legged in the black cage, not even grumbling about the "accommodation" of her "host." She simply sat silently, waiting for him to return. She sighed a bit unhappily, wondering how to get out of this mess as much as getting control of the Darkness that murmurs to her of how hopeless she is. Howe everything she does doesn't matter and try as she might to ignore the hissing voice of Jakul, a part of her seems to whisper that he's right and her will slowly withers beneath the on slaughter of the dark words and the hurt of her broken heart.

Jack returned to the pole, looking for Mysterie and hoping that she wasn't mad at him as he carried a bag full of a few things he knew she liked, it was some things that Jamie had suggested he pick up when he'd mentioned to the teen near the end of his visit that he needed to apologize. The bag included some maraschino cherries, which Jamie had happily supplied him with despite his protests, and a manga novel that he'd heard her talk about that she hadn't read but that he'd been able to nip from a box that had stuff that would have gotten thrown out. He was hoping it would help smooth things over between them. When he got back to his room he found that Sandy was napping on the bed and Tooth was seated in a chair with her nose deep in a book on the highlands. Where could she be other than here? He wondered, wincing a little as the memory of what he'd said to her repeated in his head. Her expression had been enough to tell him that he'd crossed a line he shouldn't have. Jack poked Sandy with his staff.

"Sandy. Hey, wake up." The smaller Guardian opened his eyes.

"Have you seen Mysterie? Has she come back or do you know where she is?" Jack asked rapidly, much like Tooth on a sugar high; he knew about that as he'd once given a pixie stick to Baby Tooth and she'd become nothing more than a feathery blur. Jack didn't think about the hilarity of that now - or how Tooth had scolded him later - as he was feeling guilt eat him up from the inside from what he'd said. Sandy yawned, shaking his head in silent answer.

"One of my fairies said they saw her flying off toward the sunflower state... Maybe she's there." Tooth piped up, glancing up from her book as Sandy frowned at Jack, the words floating over his head:

She didn't seem herself earlier... What happened?

Instead of answering, Jack began to shake from his guilt as he stowed the bag in his hoodie, heading off for said state like a rocket.

"Sandy, what's their deal?" Tooth asked, the little man shrugged and went to get some eggnog since he knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep for a while, especially since now he'd been reminded of the look he'd seen on the young spirit's face from earlier. It troubled him, she had seemed... out of it.

"Wonder what got into him..." Tooth muttered as she watched Jack's retreating form before going back to her book.

A familiar voice seemed to bounce around Mysterie from the darkness.

"You know, this really wouldn't be necessary if you would just join me... We could be great together you know and it's been so long since I've had someone by my side whom I could trust..." She didn't respond.

"Come now... surely you can't think he didn't mean what he said. After all... that boy does speak his mind without any thought to what others think. I offered him friendship and he shoved it away like it was nothing... Why would you be anything more to him... ?" Mysterie trembled slightly, she wanted to wail in pain, but she couldn't manage a sound or even a single tear for her pain as it ripped through her. _No... he... he wouldn't do that... H-he couldn't..._ She trembled all the more, thinking that perhaps Pitch was right... Jack had been alone for 300 years and she had been the first person to be more than a friend for him... including in his mortal life... What did Jack know of love? Hadn't he proved that he still was a child in that regard? That no amount of anything she had spoken to him about over the past years had really been understood; she'd been patient with him and had let him lead most times in terms of the relationship because of this but now...

Jack flew over the sunflower state looking for Mysterie, he found that he was blind to anything she might be feeling; he couldn't sense anything in the bond, as if it was severed and he wondered at that and what it could mean even as the wind blew down the tunnels of Pitch's lair to ruffle Mysterie's hair in a ghost of comfort, whispering softly 'don't give up' followed by 'he's near...' Even with the block on her sense, she could sense Jack as if he were really far away; he seemed to be feeling something of worry and regret to an extent that even the block couldn't fully keep from her, but as Pitch emerged from the shadows into the cage, his words were louder than the wind.

"I promise you I won't be like that boy... He doesn't know what you offered him. Oh, but I do... and you've done so much for him... but he doesn't seem to know it does he? Yes... I know about your little... encounters shall we call them? Why waste your time with him?"

"You only want me because of the darkness in me." Mysterie said quietly. Pitch was quiet for a moment.

"I admit, yes, that is what drew me. That and the fact that my Nightmares could never touch you since you were very young. Frost doesn't understand the darkness like we do. He had only a taste of it, but I understand..." He crouched near her, threading a hand through her hair; ignoring how she flinched at the touch as he lightly slid one hand along her cheek and wiped away a tear that had slipped past her closed eyes.

"You are so lovely my dear... and in many ways... We could be so good together..." She didn't respond and he stayed with her for a long while, brushing away any tears as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do; when she fell into an exhausted sleep he left, but the Nightmares kept their distance, only the odd Fearling ventured close to the cage to look at her, but nothing more.

"This is hopeless! Where could she be?!" Jack growled, the wind caressed his hair and Jack sighed a little. Before he could move though a Nightmare snagged his foot in its mouth.

"AHH!" He cried as much in pain as shock as he was dragged through the air. Jack swung his staff to freeze it, but the Nightmare didn't freeze as many before it had.

'WHAT THE?!" Jack struggled as a second Nightmare soared over to him and knocked the staff from his hands, grabbing it while the first zipped over to a pitch black alleyway. A sliver of fear entered Jack as he saw a familiar pair of amber flecked silver eyes looking at him with a predatory glare.

"P-Pitch?"


	16. Rivals

"What are you doing here Frost?" Pitch's eyes narrowed, normally he wouldn't have bothered, but Jack was a threat to his plans; the biggest threat really.

"None of your business Pitch and can you tell old diver here to let me go?" He growled, struggling though it was useless to do so against the mare who held him, managing somehow to snicker even with his foot in her mouth; her teeth bit a bit deeper and it hurt. Pitch's eyes narrowed further.

"You have a bad habit of interfering Frost. It is perfectly my business." He waved a hand and the Nightmare dropped Jack before moving over to Pitch's side. He stroked her a moment before murmuring quietly to her.

"Go see to it that the Fearlings do not disturb our guest." The Nightmare snorted and disappeared into the shadows; Pitch never took his eyes off Jack the whole time. _Guest?_ Jack's mind began to put the puzzle together as to what reason Pitch had for doing in this place and where Mysterie was. Jack snarled, anger flaming in his eyes.

"Where is she?" Pitch raised an eyebrow.

"She? Did you lose someone Frost?"

"You now who I'm talking about." Jack growled, narrowing his eyes; ready to kill him on the spot, no questions asked, wanting to strangle the Boogeyman. Pitch snorted.

"You mean that dream walker? Really Frost, can't you keep track of one little girl?" He stepped back, disappearing into a shadow only to reappear behind Jack from another shadow.

"I knew you had issues, but losing a person?" He laughed.

"Really now, have you made a mess of things again?" Pitch's lips curved up in an amused smirk. Jack swung at him without thinking of the consequences, he wasn't exactly helpless even if the other Nightmare still had his staff.

"SHUT UP!" His anger fueling him. Pitch ducked away, laughing.

"Oh Jack... You really should know better by now... Much as I'd love to stick around and play... I wouldn't be a good host if I left my guest waiting for me." He slid into the nearest shadow, vanishing with the other Nightmare. Jack snagged his staff, freezing the spot that Pitch had vanished in but too late to actually hit. Jack slammed the butt of his staff in anger, freezing the other Nightmares that were fleeing; none of the others escaped the freezing blast and he sighed; he headed off to his pond past the woods towards where he remembered the entrance of Pitch's lair was, ignoring Sandy who'd watched the whole exchange. He flew off in his sand plane to get back to the pole quickly and tell the other Guardians what he'd learned.

Mysterie was up again when Pitch returned, her heart was heavy from the whispers of Jakul; Shadow seemed content to let him say whatever he pleased and the only reason he'd been silent the last few hours had been because Shadow had decided to "reward" him for being good even without her say so. She could tell due to just the "tone" that underlay his words. Mysterie shuddered, not from cold or fear, but because she was fighting so hard against the temptation that Jakul was whispering in her ears and all of the ideas he was getting from Shadow. The things he said were causing her cheeks to heat in a mix of embarrassment and shame; she almost didn't notice that Pitch was next to her, cooing softly as he slid one hand along her hair.

"You could be a legend, you know... Children would believe in you and all you'd have to do would be to join me. Agree to be my queen and the world will be ours... You will never have to worry about being rejected. I will never reject you, ever." Mysterie pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her head in her arms, sobbing quietly. Pitch sighed inwardly, but instead of stalking off as he usually might have; probably should have, he settled next to her and pulled her into his arms, holding him close... A smirk tugging at his lips. He'd get his revenge on Jack through this girl... and Jack... well, he'd learn to not dismiss the Boogeyman again and as a plus, he'd also get his revenge on her once the darkness in her took over. It was night time when Jack found the old hole that was the entrance of Pitch's lair. Jack was grossed out when he realized a vein of darkness pulsated in the hole; Jack groaned, why couldn't anything be easy? He jumped down the hole into the inky black. Nightmares and Fearlings surged towards him the moment he had arrived, shouting and whinnying at him. The racket was enough to alert Pitch who disappeared into the shadows; letting her go but wordlessly instructing a group of Fearlings to shield her and quiet any noise Mysterie might make, but to not harm me while he went to deal with his "new guest." Jack froze, stabbed and slashed at any of the Nightmares or Fearlings that got in his way. He growled when he saw Pitch who seemed to smile and then smirk even as his minions were beaten.

"Where is Mysterie?" Jack pointed his staff at Pitch, the end crackling with his power, his eyes almost pure white and glowing with rage that could be felt by both her and Pitch as it came off in wave upon wave of anger. Pitch merely smirked.

"So you HAVE lost her then... Well I suppose it's only to be expected. Although I have to applaud you on one thing... You're a lot colder than even I could have imagined... Tossing her aside like that. Who knew you had it in you after all this time?" Jack winced at the truthful jab but shook his head.

"It was a mistake. I know that now, but this time I won't make any more. I love her too much to do that to her and I feel really bad for what I said." Energy crackles at the edge of his staff, the energy was ready to blast Pitch until he was a frozen statue. Pitch arched an eyebrow at Jack.

"Love? What do _you_ know about love?" He scoffed.

"You really shouldn't claim to understand something that's out of your reach. Obviously you have no idea what love is if you were so careless with her." Pitch circled around Jack, keeping just out of shot range while Nightmares and Fearlings clung to the walls and ceiling.

"After all she's done too... Oh yes, I know all about the darkness that she tries so had to keep locked up. How she manages is a feat indeed... but you know, where ever she is now... There's not much of a chance that she'll be able to hold it back for much longer. I _wish_ I could be there to see what happens now that you've left her on her own... Poor little thing... Only a matter of time..." He began laughing and Jack covered his ears from the assaults of the truth, knowing how much he'd screwed up.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" He yelled, losing it now.

"You don't know how much I love her! You don't know what it is like to be in love!" Jack screeched, shooting a bolt of ice at him only to miss as the shade dodged the shot. Pitch hissed, dodging a second blow.

"Insolent boy! I know what it is to love! I know what it means! You have no concept of the very MEANING of the word!" He summoned his scythe to counteract a third blow.

"If you even knew what it meant you wouldn't be **here** would you Frost? Even now you're wasting precious time! Or have you forgotten already what happened LAST time you were here?" The Fearlings block out any sound of the battle from Mysterie, just as they quiet her sobs from the cage dangling above the two.


	17. When Darkness Triumphs

Jack gasped in pain as the sand scythe managed to nick him.

"I'm not leaving without her Pitch and I feel terrible for what I've done, but I'll never do it again and the is time you're not leaving alive!" Jack growled darkly, feeling a pull of dark intent as he turned the end of his staff into a spear of ice as the fighting became more intense, he managed to stab Pitch's leg, twisting it so that it would go deeper before pulling it out and grinning darkly at the hit. Pitch cried out in pain, stumbling back, but as Jack moves to strike again he's protected by black sand that sends Jack back in a single blow. Soft laughter ringing out as a figure steps from behind Pitch from the shadows. Amber eyes burning brightly from beneath a gray cowl and cape. The black dress had a slip up one side and clung to her form like a glove.

**"So we meet again Jackie."** A cruel, delighted smile on her face. Pitch staggers to his feet even as the black sand wrapped around his wound like a bandage. Jack's eyes bulge at the voice.

"No... it can't be..." His grip on his staff tightens, his knuckles turning whiter than usual as his breath quickens as his did his heart rate in disbelief. Pitch smirked.

"Took your time my dear." She shrugged.

**"Jakul and I couldn't agree on how best to meld... though we figured it out soon enough..." **She smirked.

**"I have to thank you Frost, after all... without you I wouldn't have ever had this opportunity... and with Jakul... we're stronger than ever. You better run if you value your life Frost..."** Jack stared, un sure what to do as his heart felt like it was breaking in two.

"No. I'm not going anywhere. Not without Mysterie, Shadow." He shifted his stance, frost creeping into the room as the temperature dropped by 20 degrees. Pitch smirked.

"You're up dear." Jack sighed.

"I don't wanna fight you Myst, but if I have to I will." He twirled his staff, ice covering it to form it into a katana even as frost crept towards her threateningly. She smirked and pushed back her hood; the once silver streaks were gone, replaced by black strands that were as dark as the black dress she wore, she moved forward.

**"Let's see if you can take us on."** Fearlings above chattered excitedly and Nightmares reared as the area seemed to darken; Pitch chuckled as he stepped back to watch from a distance. Jack hurled blast after blast of ice at her, ice crystals swirling around him at a rapid pace.

"Mysterie, I know you're in there. Please, just fight it. I'm sorry for what I said. I love you and would never do anything to hurt you!" Her black sand merely knocks away his ice attacks; frost covers some of it, but shakes the ice off as if it's nothing more than water. She laughs darkly.

**"You sure talk a sweet game Frost... but you should know it's a little late for that. WE are in control now... she can't even hear you so save your breath... you're going to need it."** Jack dodged the black sand, gasping in pain when it catches his leg and he collapses for a second, rolling out of the way of a second strike to slam his staff on the ground, ice grew around him to protect him; ice that was too thick for the sand to penetrate; his eyes were nothing but glowing lights, much like flashlights in the dark. Jack snarled at her.

"So that's how it's gonna be Mysterie... fine." He said with so much venom that he could barely believe it was even him that had spoken, wondering what exactly was making him so mad... Frost exploded from him, surging and slamming into her so hard that Jakul doesn't have time to help stop it. Jack doesn't relent on the blasts, each one as sharp dagger edge, cutting her up when they came close. She hissed as the dagger sharp ice cut into her skin, her blood splattering across the ice, but instead of being mad she merely laughs when she hears what he has to say.

**"You STILL don't get it do you? She's GONE Frost."** Black sand swirled around her wounds, patching her up with their microscopic stitching.

**"If she wasn't... I couldn't do THIS!"** She pulled out a katana from her sand in mockery of his own and lunged forward, their blades clashing a moment before her blade managed to slip past yours just enough to nick his arm. Jack yelped and pulled back as blood slid from the tiny wound, he glared at her.

"I'm not giving up and I know she won't either."

"Let's not kill him, let's torture him for the rest of his life when we win." Jakul growled as Jack's katana clashed again with hers before slipping past her defenses to cut a deep gash into her arm, guilt slams into him when he sees that he's scored. She laughed when she heard Jakul.

**"What a splendid idea Jakul! You always have the best ideas..."** She grinned.

**"Oh Jackie... We are going to have soooo much FUN..." **She didn't even seem to feel the cut as the black sand took care of that wound easily and she lunged forward; Pitch cackled in delight as he watched. Several black sand whips formed behind Jack and Pitch knew that his new queen had won as they snaked about his limbs even as a fifth slammed into the winter spirit's back like an actual whip. Jack grunted at the pain, but forced himself to not make any other sound as he struggled against the sand, the whip hit him once again for good measure. As she moved forward the fifth wrapped around his staff at her bidding and yanked it from his grasp.

**"You should have run while you had the chance... I gave you a sporting shot, but not even your ice can defeat me now... You have Jakul to thank for that... Now then... I'll be a good host and show you where you'll be staying..."** She laughs a little as the sand tightened around Jack's wrists and ankles, pulling him after her as she led him to a room without a door; the shadows proving the only way in and out. The sand strands dumping him on the bed before returning to me, one strand curling about the staff like a serpent.

**"Now, be a good boy and stay here for a little while. I promise not to hurt your staff as long as you behave."** Jack growled as he stood up, ready to grab the staff back and fight his way out. She chuckled at the fire she saw in his eyes.

**"Now, now... you don't want me to break it do you?" **The sand that curled around the staff curled tighter, adding to the threat of destroying it even as she caressed the wood like a lover. Jack straightened, stiffening a little, his fear evident in his eyes and he shook his head no. A silent plea to not break it, he never wanted to experience that pain again.

**"Didn't think so." **The sand curled around her arm, sliding off of the staff.

**"I'll be back... but don't think you have to wait up for me lover." **She blew him a kiss before sinking back into a shadow, taking the staff with her. She appeared near Pitch.

"What do you have in mind now my queen?" He asked, eyeing the staff; the desire to break it evident in his eyes, but he didn't ask for it... yet.

**"Revenge. What else? For now... I think I'll play with Frost for a little while... Maybe fulfill that little desire of Jakul's when I'm done."** Sand whirls around the staff and it disappeared, stowed away somewhere secret before she returned to the room where you were waiting. Jack searched for a way out, looking at what suddenly appeared to be a door in the room. He breached his shoulder, running into it in hopes of breaking it down but instead he slammed into it and fell on the ground, holding his aching shoulder and trying not to cry out.

"It only works in movies I guess..." He grumbled, meanwhile, the other Guardians had stopped near the entrance of Pitch's lair, Bunnymund sniffing the air.

"I caught 'is scent, ends here." Sandy shook his head at that, knowing likely where their comrade had ended up. Shadow made a disapproving tsking sound.

**"Looks like Pitch wanted to mess with your mind. Amusing as it is... I don't want you broken."** Black sand swirled around Jack to patch up the injuries he'd sustained in the fight as well as his new shoulder wound. Jack shivered at the contact with the sand.

"What else do you want from me? I can tell you want something else other than revenge." Jack glared at her with the fury of a thousand snow storms.

**"Ah... even with him blocking the bond you're astute. Perhaps more than we thought. Never mind that."** She smiled sensuously.

**"I did come here to play after all..."** Jack began to shake under the gaze and he began to back away from her, he didn't want to find out what "play" meant.


	18. Pet

Shadow chuckled softly, eyes bright with delight as I move forward, easily cornering Jack against the bed; which was settled against the wall draped in black silk. She lightly skimmed a hand through his hair, amber eyes not leaving his icy ones. Jack bit his lip, not making a sound as he pushed against her to try and get her to back off.

"P-please stop." He shuddered, not wanting to sound weak but at the moment he was losing the fight. She lightly slid her fingers along his scalp, not all deterred.

**"You're an odd one Frost... really... It's not like you're cheating."** Jack closed his eyes, clenching his teeth as the touch felt really good on his scalp.

"No matter what I love Mysterie and I can't do that with you. It would be like cheating." He pulled away from his touch and Jakul whined a little.

"Maybe he could be a good little slave for us, being at your every beck and call, a good servant and slave." He laughed, Shadow ignored Jakul's words as she sent out sand to snap about Jack's neck like a collar.

**"So you say... and yet you accuse her of going back on everything she's promised you these last five years... Really now Jack. You can't expect me to believe you even know what love is."** She shifted to pull them both onto the bed, her landing so that she was sitting on the bed while Jack sat in her lap, his back up against her chest; she slid her hand back through his hair again, skimming along his scalp while the other kept a tight reign on the "leash" that was attached to the collar. Jack growled and would have bit her but he didn't want to prove her right; that he didn't know how love was supposed to be but the one thing he did know was that love was togetherness between two people who would spend the rest of their lives together. Two people who would protect one another and do anything for the other no matter how risky it was and Jack would do anything for her... He pulled his hair away from her as far as the collar would allow.

"Let's break him, then he'll listen to every word you say." Jakul growled.

**"In time Jakul... in time. After all... there are other ways to break him... And I don't want to mart his beautiful skin... Remember, I didn't want you harming him before... why would I let you now?"** She jerked the collar to bring you back within reach so she can continue to slide her fingers through his hair; she shifted to murmur some rather suggestive ideas into his ear as she slid her fingers along his scalp. Jack blushed a purple blue as he struggled against the chain.

"Please stop." He said firmly and she chuckled.

**"Oh but I'm sure you'll just adore it if I..."** She whispered the rest of the suggestive idea that she was thinking of into his hear, lightly nipping at said ear as if to begin... but she didn't actually do anything more beyond that, just holding him close; lightly scraping her nails along his scalp, a soft purr in her voice. Jack couldn't help but let out a small whimper at the ministration.

"Q-quit it." He stuttered, squirming in her grasp, trying to escape her. She chuckled softly again, holding him easily enough with some sand as she continued to slide her nails along his scalp.

**"You can't deny it forever Jack. You may think I'm different in our mind... but your body betrays you..."** She nipped at his ear again playfully.

**"Like it or not... You are mine Jack..."** Jack shuddered in pleasure as he slowly began to give in.

"I'm sorry Mysterie... she may be right about that, but I only like it because of you..." A tear slipped from one eye and clicked onto the bed, frozen. Shadow smirked, speaking to Jakul through their mental link.

**"See? All it takes is a little time... He's mine already... but with a little more time I'll have him eating out of my hand."** She murmured aloud to Jack next, a quiet purr in her voice.

**"It's okay Jack... don't fight what you want..."** Jack sighed, his eyes dulled slightly in lust as he snuggled closer to her, whining for the touch he desperately wanted and needed.

Jakul laughed when he saw the winter spirit crumble.

"What are you gonna have him do after we're done with our fun?" Shadow chuckled inwardly, making sure only Jakul heard her.

**"Well, I'm sure he'll make a great little pet to "show" the Guardians once he's trained up... after that... Well, there is still your desire to contend with once I've had my fun here. After all... I can sense that desire in you for that boy Jakul... and now that he's older it will be so much easier to get him to submit... I'll even make you a body so you can do as you please..."** Even as she spoke to Jakul, she murmured quietly as she continued to stroke Jack's scalp with her hand, delighting in the sound of his winning as he pressed close to her.

"Mmmm, you're going to have to tell me what you want Jack. I can't read your mind you know... couldn't even do that little thing when the bond was working." Jack blushed.

000000000

Shame hit him hard instantly, followed by guilt.

"P-please let go of it." He stutters, she let go and nuzzled against Jack's neck, purring softly in her throat; though her blood was running hot from what she'd done to him, she kept her own desire in check. Jack shifted to lay on the bed, turning onto his side, pulling up his hood as he sobbed slightly in shame. Jakul chuckled in Shadow's mind.

"He really did not want to cheat on her." Shadow rolled her eyes, nudging Jakul as she responded to him privately.

**"It's NOT cheating... I AM her... more or less. Besides, he didn't actually DO anything. Well... not yet anyway."** Shadow lightly brushed one hand along Jack's cheek.

**"In time you will see it's not cheating Jack." **

Jack shook, but he'd stopped crying and leaned into her touch, knowing that but he couldn't help but recoil slightly when Pitch materialized into the room.

"The Guardians are here for him." He said, not bothering with banter. Jack glared at him.

"They will stop you and you know it Pitch." There was a sudden resounding crack.

"I'd learn to watch your tongue boy! My queen, how about we show Jack what it's like to destroy the Guardians?" Instead of answering his question Shadow rose and glared at him.

**"Let's get one thing straight BOOGEYMAN... you lay one more hand on him and I'll show the Guardians just how pathetic YOU are before I destroy them!"** Pitch recoiled a little.

"Fine... but you bring him to heel." Shadow smirked, but there were dark promises in her eyes that clearly said he'd better not do it again.

**"As long as we have an understanding. I will do as I please! YOU are lucky I haven't just disposed of you from the start. Stay away from Jack and don't think I won't know if you don't! Your Nightmares are more obedient to ME... now.. GET OUT!"** Pitch scowled, but disappeared back into a nearby shadow. Shadow turned and lightly touched the bruise, the black sand sparkling a little to soothe the sting although hit doesn't have the same healing properties as it had before it can a least draw some of the pain away.

**"I promise he will never lay a hand on you again."** Jack winced as she touched the bruise.

"Why are you protecting me from h-him? I thought you and Jakul wanted revenge on me..." Jack leaned into the sand, feeling a little better. She wanted to say 'it's because I love you' because it was true... but instead she sighed before speaking.

**"My naive darling... There are more ways to get revenge besides simply sending you crying in pain... Jakul and Pitch are men. They don't know everything... there are other ways to get revenge... As it is... I did say I wanted revenge... but I never said it was against you... now did I?"** She mired a little and moved towards the shadow that Pitch had used.

**"For now... I have some "guests" to deal with... but rest assured that I will be back."** She slipped into the darkness to deal with the Guardians, but for the moment she kept out of sight when she arrived in the main chamber if only to see how Pitch would fair on his own.


	19. Shiny Things and Heartbreak

The Guardians had ganged up on the laughing Boogeyman, Bunnymund tossed egg bombs, yelling at him.

"Give Jack back you rat-bag!" North threw one of his swords at the shade, almost impaling him but a Nightmare blocked the blow.

"Why now that wasn't very nice." Pitch observed.

"GIVE HIM BACK PITCH!" North roared as Tooth came up from behind, Nightmares attacked her and Sandy turned them into dream sand. Shadow could see that the tide would soon turn and she stepped from the shadows nearby Pitch.

**"He's not being held by Pitch... and I would appreciate it if you would stop killing my servants."** Her tone was calm, as if talking about some every day thing like the weather. Bunny's ears flattened against his skull in anger as he turned first.

"Ya bloody traitor! Where's Frostbite? What have you done with 'im?!" The Guardians turned to look at Shadow with disgust, only Sandy seemed to look at her in sadness instead; Tooth flew towards Shadow with a war cry and swiped at her with her rapier as North moved forward. Bunny threw his boomerangs at the Nightmares surrounding him and Sandy. Shadow blocked Tooth's blow, sending her flying back with a whip of black sand that ensured she smacked one of the cages above, another sent North skidding back before she turned her attention and scowled at Bunny.

**"And what have I done NOW to earn your ire KANGAROO? As for Jack, you don't need to worry about him, not like YOU of all the Guardians care."** The last word was spoken so coldly that were it air the temperature around everyone would have dropped several degrees.

**"I'm not blind, I know just how much you "care" about him. At least the other three are actually TRYING to make up for what they've done in the past, but what about YOU?! Hmmm? You wounded him the most and you haven't even attempted to make amends!"** She crossed her arms, summoning many of the Nightmares from near Bunny back over to where she stood and out of the Pooka's range, even for his boomerangs.

**"LEAVE. Before I make you, you insufferable, proud, miserable excuse for a spring spirit!"** Bunny flinched beneath the truth of the words she spat at him. North didn't want to leave Jack there, but he could see that they'd have no chance in saving him as they were.

"We'll be back." North promised in a low voice as he grabbed Tooth and headed towards the lair's entrance to go back to the sleigh. Bunny growled and tossed a boomerang so hard it managed to destroy a Nightmare and a Fearling that were standing between Shadow and the Pooka, it also hit her in the arm. Sandy glanced over at Shadow, a deep sadness written in his eyes before he left with the other Guardians. Shadow caught the boomerang before it could arch back to its owner, as soon as her hand touches it the thing crumbled; a subtle warning to the Pooka to not push his luck. Meanwhile, Jack was fiddling with the "door" in his room.

"Come on... come on..." He was using an ice pick to try and pick the lock on the door. He flinched when a Nightmare came into the room and nipped at him to try and get him to stop picking at the door but Jack just waved it away. The Nightmare left the room only to appear next to Shadow, snorting and her scowl turned into something of a smirk.

**"Oh he is, is he?"** She chuckled softly.

**"Thank you, pet. You may go feed now... but be subtle tonight. Do not attract the attention of the Guardians for I will not be there to protect you."** The Nightmares scattered then and Shadow slipped into the shadows again to return to the room she'd left Jack in, coming from a shadow on the opposing side of the room this time. She watched a moment before speaking.

**"You know... that wall doesn't lead anywhere... In fact, it'd take you several months to make even the smallest of progress considering there's other types of rocks in this cavern besides what you're digging at, harder types that won't crumble so easily beneath ice."** Jack nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard your voice and whirled around, trying to hide the pick as if he wasn't just caught trying to pick the lock... or just getting no where with it.

"What? I wasn't lock picking... Who said I was? I'm powerless remember?" He felt a nervous shiver go through his spine as he realized he'd been caught red handed and he backed away from the "door." She chuckled.

**"Jack, that isn't a real door. You can't pick it. Well... no... I suppose you COULD... but there's just more rock beyond it. Didn't I tell you before that Pitch was playing with your mind?" **Jack growled.

"I don't want to stay here, you know I hate being cooped up in places."

**"Yes, I know you don't like being cooped up."** She became thoughtful at that.

**"Tell you what... we can go out tonight. Just don't try anything funny, you won't enjoy the results if you try and escape."** She motioned to the sand collar that still hung around his neck, the leash had dispersed earlier, but the collar had not and it was ice proof so Jack couldn't simply freeze it off.

**"The pain won't kill you, but go too far from me and you'll wish it did."** Jack sighed, he'd noticed the collar and had tried getting it off before but with no success. It wasn't really hurting him either and his attempts to get it off hadn't hurt him, but neither could he get it to leave no matter what he'd tried before he'd attempted to escape. He followed her through the shadows to the the outside, unable to keep from smiling as he breathed in the night's air as the wind blew his hair back in a 'where have you been' gesture.

"It's okay, I'm fine." He reassures the wind and it left him alone and seemed to sadly caress Shadow who watches as Jack whooped with joy as he runs about Shadow in a circle like an energetic child. A trace of a smile that tugs at her lips is hidden by the shadows of her cowl. She murmurs quietly to the wind, too quiet to be heard by Jack.

**"Some lessons are not easily learned... for now... this is how it will be. The night is mine to reign..."** Jack sat down by a cool looking climbing tree, until he noticed something shiny at the very top branch. He began to climb to go get it, curious as to what it could be and how it had gotten way up there. Shadow watched quietly, trying not to smile at his antics, but she couldn't help the small smile for this was one of the many things that she - as Mysterie - had come to love about him. She wasn't mad about what he had said before, but neither could she simply just go back to the way things had been after the melding of darkness that had occurred in the cage. She shifted her attention to two Nightmares about the size of ponies that were frolicking about like they were real horses. A deafening snap cuts through the night air as one of Jack's feet slipped on a branch and from the height he was at he could easily snap his neck from the fall... were he mortal anyway. He reached for the shiny thing as the tree's limbs groaned in protest; he was too focused on getting the shiny thing to care.

"Almost got it..." At the sound of the snap Shadow's head whipped around, sand shooting out to wrap around the groaning branches, reinforcing them before she can even think about what she'd done. When she realized it, a scowl crossed her face; she realized it was a foolish and unnecessary endeavor because while immortals like Jack weren't immune to death, they were notoriously hard to kill. A simple fall that would be fatal for a mortal would simply really hurt an immortal; the reflex to protect him was, she realized, a rather foolish one, but she didn't recall the sand back to her. Instead, she shifted her gaze back to the Nightmares who were prancing about a few feet away.

Jack finally reached the shiny object only to see that it was a message in a bottle from Sandy. Well, he knew it was from Sandy because there was dream sand in the bottle. He glanced down, hoping that Shadow hadn't seen it and jumped down from the height rather recklessly; something that might have scared her half to death had she been paying any attention to him. He put the message in his hoodie pocket before she could see it.

"It was only a streamer from a balloon." He said, hoping that she bought it. Had Shadow noticed the bottle she said nothing about it, her attention wasn't on Jack just then, but the two Nightmares who were play-fighting nearby. Jack thanked the gods that she hadn't seemed to notice the bottle; he looked at the playful Nightmares and thought to himself. That looks like fun... I wish Bunny were here. He sighed. Shadow turned slightly though when she heard a voice, someone else was in the forest besides them. A woman and she was singing. Her voice was harsh as she sang and the heartbreak could be heard in her tone even as her voice wavered a little; it wasn't professional sounding but she wasn't a bad singer either.

_If I had just one tear running down your cheek_

_Maybe I could cope, maybe I'd get some sleep_

_If I had just one moment at your expense_

_Maybe all my misery would be well spent_

_Could you cry a little_

_Lie just a little_

_Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain?_

_I gave, now I'm wanting something in return_

_So cry just a little for me_

_If your love could be caged, honey I would hold the key_

_And conceal it underneath the pile of lies you handed me_

_And you'd hunt... and those lies... they'd be all you'd ever find_

_That'd be all you'd have to know for me to be fine... yeah..._

_And you'd cry a little_

_You'd die just a little_

_And baby I would feel just a little less pain_

_I gave, now I'm wanting something in return_

_So cry just a little for me_

_Give it up baby_

_I hear you're doing fine_

_Nothing's gonna save me_

_I can see it in your eyes_

_Some kind of heartache_

_Honey, give it a try_

_I don't want pity_

_I just want what is mine_

_Could you cry a little_

_Lie just a little_

_Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain_

_I gave, now I"m wanting something in return_

_So cry just a little for me_

_Yeah_

_Cry just a little for me_

_Whoa whoa_

_Could you cry a little for me?_

She tilted her head a little, knowing the young woman who seemed to stumble into their little clearing couldn't see them or the Nightmares. She was clearly a teenager and the woman leaned against a nearby tree; sobbing her heart out while Shadow simply watched. She felt sorry for the youngster, but she didn't show it and the song... it had seemed like the girl had sang it as if she had known that Shadow was there and that she, too, was in pain. That while Mysterie was buried deep within her, beyond conscious thought, the feelings she felt for Jack were far from as buried and burned in her heart; that was why she wanted to protect Jack. Hearing the song, Jack turned his attention from Shadow and followed the sound of the song and started to follow it; he felt compelled to move towards the woman for some odd reason. Shadow followed him, but kept a distance of a few feet between them as the woman, not seeing either of them, wept; the Nightmares that were playing before trotted over to her, circling much like vultures waiting for the kill. Jack growled at them and they backed off, as they complied Jack moved to gently touch her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" He looked towards Shadow before glaring at the formerly playful Nightmares. Seeing that Shadow wasn't snapping at them, the Nightmares resumed circling around the girl.

**"She can't hear you Jack. She's not a believer."** She watched as the girl shivered from the cold Jack's touch caused and curled up, sobbing harder.

**"You can't help her... 300 years of loneliness and you're telling me you've never seen someone who's heartbroken?"** She paused a moment in confusion then shook it away.

**"Never mind... I suppose you have, you just don't understand it because you've never felt it. You don't know what it's like to have someone you love turn their back on you."**


	20. Light in the Darkness

Jack sighed and looked at Shadow with determination.

"I can't just leave her here even if she isn't a believer."

**"There isn't anything you can do Jack. You cannot simply grant the wishes of her heart and bring back the one she loves. Even if you could, it wouldn't do her any good. This is life Jack, not some fairy tale."** Jack growled.

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF YOU DON'T EVEN TRY?!" He screamed and the Nightmares stopped and looked straight at Jack, startled.

**"Because I've been there..."** She admitted sadly.

**"I know how this goes... It's not something you can fix Jack..."** She turned her gaze to the teenager who had cried herself into an exhausted rest; though it's not peaceful as even with the Nightmares far from her she still suffers as a new Nightmare rises from her dreams, smaller than its sisters but it rears and paws the ground. It was not quite half the size of the pony sized Nightmares that were whinnying happily at their new comrade. Jack sighed, he knew what she meant; he had probably seen more deaths from hypothermia than he'd understood the reason behind it and he was beginning to understand now why there had been so many... Tears slid down his face.

"C-c-can't we at least try? Please, at least try."

"What is wrong with him? Why doesn't he give in?" Jakul growls. Jack tries to shoo the Nightmares away with their newest member, glaring at each of them and some of them slightly back off from the girl. Jack let the newest mare sniff at him, it neighed and then pranced about him and Jack sighed. Shadow ignored Jakul, moving over to Jack; she placed a hand on his shoulder and brushed away his tears.

**"No... It is something she has to go through so she will grow Jack. For her wish to come true she must find the one she desires on her own. A broken heart is part of life Jack. It helps humans grow. I went through at least five before I happened upon you..."** She trailed off.

"Had you lived, Jack, you would have learned this lesson..." She sighed a little.

**"Not to say I learned it obviously."** She turned away from the teenager before the tears that were threatening to fall actually did. She tugged her cowl more closely around her head, not that it mattered as the night hid it well enough with the moon's light being as dim as it was as it was only a few nights away from being a new moon. Jack sighed, the Nightmares started to tug him along, trying to get him to follow and eventually the collar tugs him and he trips, smacking into the snow and skinning his knee on a sharp rock.

"Damn." Jack watched in slight fascination as his blood turned the snow red and the Nightmares whispered to Shadow that Jack was hurt, that they smelled blood. Shadow sighed and moved back over to Jack, kneeling next to him without a sound; humming a soft song in her throat that came to mind as she weaved silver sand to wrap around the wound and patch him up. The lyrics rising in her mind as she hummed.

_Baby what are we becoming_

_It feels just like we're always running_

_Rolling through the motions everyday_

_I could lean in to hold you, or act like I don't even know you_

_Seems like you could care less either way_

_What happened to that girl I used to know_

_I just want us back to the way we were before_

_Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby_

_Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy_

_Do I have your love, am I still enough_

_Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby_

_Give you everything that you ever wanted_

_Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely_

_Do I just need to give up and get on with my life_

_Baby, do I_

_Remember when we didn't have nothing_

_But a perfect simple kind of loving_

_Baby those sure were the days_

_There was a time our love ran wild and free_

_Now I'm second guessing everything thing I see_

_Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby_

_Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy_

_Do I have your love, am I still enough_

_Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby_

_Give you everything that you ever wanted_

_Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely_

_Do I just need to give up and get on with my life_

_Baby, do I_

_Still give you what you need_

_Still take your breath away_

_Light up the spark way down deep, baby do I_

_Whoa,_

_Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby_

_Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy_

_Do I have your love, am I still enough_

_Tell me don't I, or tell me do I baby_

_Give you everything that you ever wanted_

_Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely_

_Do I just need to give up and get on with my life_

_Tell me baby do I get one more try_

_Do I, baby do I_

Jack hissed at the slight pain and pulled at the collar around his neck, wanting it off so much; he sighed and stood up, feeling only minuscule pain thanks to the sand. He followed Shadow and the Nightmares who sniffed at the bandaged wound. The newest member sniffed at it and licked at it.

"Quit it." Jack patted her away and she neighed in his ear.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" He yelled at all the Nightmares who only snickered at his anger, but they scattered when Shadow flicked her hand; fleeing back to the lair as if she had cracked a whip at them. She had noticed him tugging at the collar and she felt guilty. This wasn't the way to do things... Much as Shadow was evil... she couldn't completely be darkness as Mysterie's influence was shining through too much because she loved Jack to such an extent that Shadow couldn't hurt him no matter how much she wanted to. How much she had meant to... How had things gotten so out of her dark grasp? With an inward sigh, she moved over to Jack and touched the collar gently, the sand uncurled from around him. She continued to quietly hum the song before she turned and walked away without a word; struggling a little with the notes of the song. She stepped into the nearest shadow as the tiny Nightmare returned, in its mouth was Jack's staff. It dropped the thing at his feet before scurrying off again like a frightened puppy. Jack picked it up, staring at Shadow in confusion a moment before following her, unsure if it was a trap or not. Jakul snickered in her mind.

"Look at him, he's like a lost pup." Shadow snapped at Jakul to be quiet, sliding into the next shadow and simply disappearing from the woods; leaving Jack to do as he pleased as guilt snapped at her heels.


End file.
